Sheridan's Seismic Design Category, explained

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Sheridan is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. That puts Sheridan in the 62th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 62% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

Where Sheridan sits in Wyoming

USGS's underlying values for Sheridan: 0.151g peak ground acceleration, 0.258g at short period, 0.061g at 1 second. Within Wyoming alone, Sheridan ranks 12 of 16 cities by seismic hazard - the 27th percentile in-state. Sheridan has a population of about 19,813.

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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Sheridan 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 Sheridan's figures come from

Sheridan'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 Sheridan.