Monroe, MI: what USGS's seismic model says

Monroe 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. That puts Monroe in the 39th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 39% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

How Monroe compares

USGS's underlying values for Monroe: 0.062g peak ground acceleration, 0.121g at short period, 0.05g at 1 second. Within Michigan alone, Monroe ranks 5 of 153 cities by seismic hazard - the 97th percentile in-state. Monroe has a population of about 20,177.

Retrofit economics for Monroe

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 Michigan 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 Michigan.

What this means for insurance

A Monroe 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 Monroe's figures come from

Monroe'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 Monroe.