Does Monroe, WI need an earthquake retrofit?

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Monroe is Category B. 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 Monroe sits at the 22th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

How Monroe compares

USGS's underlying values for Monroe: 0.042g peak ground acceleration, 0.086g at short period, 0.053g at 1 second. Within Wisconsin alone, Monroe ranks 15 of 157 cities by seismic hazard - the 91th percentile in-state. Monroe has a population of about 10,579.

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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

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.