Does Naugatuck, CT need an earthquake retrofit?

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Naugatuck in Seismic Design 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 Naugatuck sits at the 58th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Naugatuck by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Naugatuck: 0.109g peak ground acceleration, 0.197g at short period, 0.054g at 1 second. Within Connecticut alone, Naugatuck ranks 13 of 21 cities by seismic hazard - the 40th percentile in-state. Naugatuck has a population of about 32,116.

Retrofit economics for Naugatuck

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 Connecticut 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 Connecticut.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Naugatuck 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 Naugatuck's figures come from

Naugatuck'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 Naugatuck.