Oak Point's Seismic Design Category, explained

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Oak Point is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Nationally, Oak Point ranks above 35% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 35th percentile.

Oak Point by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Oak Point: 0.058g peak ground acceleration, 0.118g at short period, 0.057g at 1 second. Within Texas alone, Oak Point ranks 47 of 384 cities by seismic hazard - the 88th percentile in-state. Oak Point has a population of about 6,826.

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 Texas 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 Texas.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Oak Point 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 Oak Point's figures come from

Oak Point'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 Oak Point.