Scotia's Seismic Design Category, explained

Scotia 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, Scotia ranks above 59% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 59th percentile.

Scotia by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Scotia: 0.117g peak ground acceleration, 0.213g at short period, 0.062g at 1 second. Within New York alone, Scotia ranks 94 of 170 cities by seismic hazard - the 45th percentile in-state. Scotia has a population of about 7,321.

Retrofit economics for Scotia

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.

What this means for insurance

A Scotia 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 Scotia's figures come from

Scotia'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 Scotia.