Moab, UT: what USGS's seismic model says

Moab 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 Moab sits at the 57th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Moab by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Moab: 0.103g peak ground acceleration, 0.198g at short period, 0.064g at 1 second. Within Utah alone, Moab ranks 95 of 95 cities by seismic hazard - the 0th percentile in-state. Moab has a population of about 5,242.

Retrofit economics for Moab

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 Utah 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 Utah.

Earthquake insurance for a Moab home

A Moab 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 Moab's figures come from

Moab'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 Moab.