Reno, NV: what USGS's seismic model says

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Reno in Seismic Design Category D: High seismic hazard - this is the category most of coastal California, the Pacific Northwest, and other active fault regions fall into. Code mandates significant seismic detailing and restricts irregular structural configurations. This is the category the Brace + Bolt scope (cripple-wall bracing, foundation bolting) is built for. Nationally, Reno ranks above 94% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 94th percentile.

Where Reno sits in Nevada

USGS's underlying values for Reno: 0.631g peak ground acceleration, 1.501g at short period, 0.525g at 1 second. Within Nevada alone, Reno ranks 2 of 12 cities by seismic hazard - the 91th percentile in-state. Reno has a population of about 281,714.

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 Nevada 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 Nevada.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Reno 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 Reno's figures come from

Reno's Category D 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 D does and doesn't tell you about Reno.