Parsons's Seismic Design Category, explained

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Parsons 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 Parsons sits at the 28th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

How Parsons compares

USGS's underlying values for Parsons: 0.047g peak ground acceleration, 0.1g at short period, 0.07g at 1 second. Within Kansas alone, Parsons ranks 7 of 63 cities by seismic hazard - the 90th percentile in-state. Parsons has a population of about 9,328.

Retrofit economics for Parsons

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 Kansas 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 Kansas.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Parsons 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 Parsons's figures come from

Parsons'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 Parsons.