Does Passaic, NJ need an earthquake retrofit?

Passaic 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, Passaic ranks above 65% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 65th percentile.

Where Passaic sits in New Jersey

USGS's underlying values for Passaic: 0.181g peak ground acceleration, 0.293g at short period, 0.061g at 1 second. Within New Jersey alone, Passaic ranks 44 of 194 cities by seismic hazard - the 78th percentile in-state. Passaic has a population of about 70,722.

What a retrofit costs in Passaic

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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey.

What this means for insurance

A Passaic 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 Passaic's figures come from

Passaic'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 Passaic.