Moody, AL: what USGS's seismic model says

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Moody is Category C. Moderate seismic hazard. Code adds irregular-building restrictions and requires bracing of some nonstructural components (e.g. tall shelving, water heaters) in addition to structural detailing. Nationally, Moody ranks above 75% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 75th percentile.

Where Moody sits in Alabama

The raw figures: peak ground acceleration 0.158g, short-period spectral response 0.276g, 1-second spectral response 0.099g. Among 107 Alabama cities in this dataset, Moody ranks 36 for seismic hazard, the 67th percentile within the state. About 13,596 people live in Moody, Alabama.

Bracing and bolting: the actual cost

Outside California, no state-level retrofit grant equivalent to Brace + Bolt could be found for Alabama. A typical retrofit still runs $5,000-$10,000 nationally, about $7,000 for a common single-family job.

Earthquake insurance for a Moody home

Outside California, earthquake coverage is typically sold as an endorsement added to a standard homeowners policy, not a separate product - worth asking about directly when getting a home-insurance quote for a Moody address.

More on how this number was built

The methodology guide covers exactly how USGS's public design-maps API produced Moody's numbers. The guide to what a Seismic Design Category actually means covers why a category is never a substitute for an engineer's assessment of one specific house.