Does Waupun, WI need an earthquake retrofit?

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Waupun in Seismic Design Category B: Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Nationally, Waupun ranks above 16% of the 4,875 cities in this dataset for seismic hazard - the 16th percentile.

How Waupun compares

USGS's underlying values for Waupun: 0.03g peak ground acceleration, 0.062g at short period, 0.043g at 1 second. Within Wisconsin alone, Waupun ranks 92 of 157 cities by seismic hazard - the 42th percentile in-state. Waupun has a population of about 11,131.

What a retrofit costs in Waupun

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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.

Earthquake insurance for a Waupun home

A Waupun 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 Waupun's figures come from

Waupun'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 Waupun.