University City, MO: what USGS's seismic model says

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, University City is Category D. 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. Nationally, University City ranks above 83% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 83th percentile.

Where University City sits in Missouri

USGS's underlying values for University City: 0.235g peak ground acceleration, 0.417g at short period, 0.154g at 1 second. Within Missouri alone, University City ranks 29 of 135 cities by seismic hazard - the 79th percentile in-state. University City has a population of about 34,349.

What a retrofit costs in University City

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 Missouri 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 Missouri.

Earthquake insurance for a University City home

A University City 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 University City's figures come from

University City'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 University City.