New Freedom's Seismic Design Category, explained

New Freedom 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. Nationally, New Freedom ranks above 52% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 52th percentile.

Where New Freedom sits in Pennsylvania

USGS's underlying values for New Freedom: 0.087g peak ground acceleration, 0.159g at short period, 0.045g at 1 second. Within Pennsylvania alone, New Freedom ranks 64 of 193 cities by seismic hazard - the 67th percentile in-state. New Freedom has a population of about 5,131.

Retrofit economics for New Freedom

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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A New Freedom 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 New Freedom's figures come from

New Freedom'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 New Freedom.