Rome's Seismic Design Category, explained

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Rome is 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 Rome sits at the 53th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Rome by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Rome: 0.09g peak ground acceleration, 0.174g at short period, 0.057g at 1 second. Within New York alone, Rome ranks 130 of 170 cities by seismic hazard - the 24th percentile in-state. Rome has a population of about 31,990.

Retrofit economics for Rome

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 York 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 York.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Rome 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 Rome's figures come from

Rome'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 Rome.