Does Somerset, KY need an earthquake retrofit?

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Somerset in Seismic Design Category C: Moderate seismic hazard. Code adds irregular-building restrictions and requires bracing of some nonstructural components (e.g. tall shelving, water heaters) in addition to structural detailing. Rank it against the rest of the country and Somerset sits at the 70th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

How Somerset compares

USGS's underlying values for Somerset: 0.101g peak ground acceleration, 0.2g at short period, 0.091g at 1 second. Within Kentucky alone, Somerset ranks 20 of 79 cities by seismic hazard - the 76th percentile in-state. Somerset has a population of about 12,389.

What a retrofit costs in Somerset

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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky.

Earthquake insurance for a Somerset home

A Somerset 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 Somerset's figures come from

Somerset's Category C 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 C does and doesn't tell you about Somerset.