McKeesport, PA: what USGS's seismic model says

McKeesport carries Seismic Design Category B under USGS's ASCE 7-16 model. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Rank it against the rest of the country and McKeesport sits at the 23th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Where McKeesport sits in Pennsylvania

USGS's underlying values for McKeesport: 0.042g peak ground acceleration, 0.088g at short period, 0.045g at 1 second. Within Pennsylvania alone, McKeesport ranks 141 of 193 cities by seismic hazard - the 27th percentile in-state. McKeesport has a population of about 17,119.

Bracing and bolting: the actual cost

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.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A McKeesport 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 McKeesport's figures come from

McKeesport'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 McKeesport.