Midway, NC: what USGS's seismic model says

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Midway in Seismic Design Category B: Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. That puts Midway in the 49th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 49% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

How Midway compares

USGS's underlying values for Midway: 0.078g peak ground acceleration, 0.157g at short period, 0.07g at 1 second. Within North Carolina alone, Midway ranks 78 of 147 cities by seismic hazard - the 47th percentile in-state. Midway has a population of about 5,053.

Retrofit economics for Midway

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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Midway 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 Midway's figures come from

Midway'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 Midway.