Does McKees Rocks, PA need an earthquake retrofit?

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, McKees Rocks is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. That puts McKees Rocks in the 23th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 23% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

McKees Rocks by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for McKees Rocks: 0.043g peak ground acceleration, 0.09g at short period, 0.045g at 1 second. Within Pennsylvania alone, McKees Rocks ranks 132 of 193 cities by seismic hazard - the 32th percentile in-state. McKees Rocks has a population of about 5,694.

What a retrofit costs in McKees Rocks

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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.

What this means for insurance

A McKees Rocks 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 McKees Rocks's figures come from

McKees Rocks's Category B 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 B does and doesn't tell you about McKees Rocks.