Does Newberry, SC need an earthquake retrofit?

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Newberry 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, Newberry ranks above 77% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 77th percentile.

Newberry by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Newberry: 0.186g peak ground acceleration, 0.325g at short period, 0.102g at 1 second. Within South Carolina alone, Newberry ranks 32 of 66 cities by seismic hazard - the 52th percentile in-state. Newberry has a population of about 10,874.

Bracing and bolting: the actual cost

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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina.

Earthquake insurance for a Newberry home

A Newberry 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 Newberry's figures come from

Newberry's Category C 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 C does and doesn't tell you about Newberry.