Sequim, WA: what USGS's seismic model says

Sequim carries Seismic Design Category D under USGS's ASCE 7-16 model. 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. That puts Sequim in the 92th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 92% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

How Sequim compares

USGS's underlying values for Sequim: 0.588g peak ground acceleration, 1.374g at short period, 0.516g at 1 second. Within Washington alone, Sequim ranks 25 of 125 cities by seismic hazard - the 81th percentile in-state. Sequim has a population of about 8,199.

Retrofit economics for Sequim

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 Washington 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 Washington.

Earthquake insurance for a Sequim home

A Sequim 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 Sequim's figures come from

Sequim'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 Sequim.