Old Forge's Seismic Design Category, explained

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Old Forge is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. That puts Old Forge in the 38th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 38% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

Old Forge by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Old Forge: 0.062g peak ground acceleration, 0.125g at short period, 0.044g at 1 second. Within Pennsylvania alone, Old Forge ranks 91 of 193 cities by seismic hazard - the 53th percentile in-state. Old Forge has a population of about 8,654.

Retrofit economics for Old Forge

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 Old Forge 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 Old Forge's figures come from

Old Forge'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 Old Forge.