Lockhart, TX: what USGS's seismic model says

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Lockhart is Category A. Lowest seismic design category. Building code requires no seismic-specific detailing here beyond ordinary construction practice. Rank it against the rest of the country and Lockhart sits at the 8th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Lockhart by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Lockhart: 0.025g peak ground acceleration, 0.053g at short period, 0.029g at 1 second. Within Texas alone, Lockhart ranks 319 of 384 cities by seismic hazard - the 17th percentile in-state. Lockhart has a population of about 17,166.

Retrofit economics for Lockhart

A full earthquake retrofit typically runs $5,000-$10,000 nationally (around $7,000 typical), driven mainly by house size and foundation type, not by Texas specifically. California's Earthquake Brace + Bolt grant, which covers a large share of this cost, is a California-only program and does not apply in Texas.

Earthquake insurance for a Lockhart home

A Lockhart homeowner cannot buy a standalone earthquake policy in most cases - it is added to an existing homeowners policy as an endorsement, so the place to start is a regular home-insurance quote.

Where Lockhart's figures come from

Lockhart's Category A and every number above trace to USGS's own ASCE 7-16 Design Maps service - see the methodology guide. See the category explainer for what Category A does and doesn't tell you about Lockhart.