West New York, NJ: what USGS's seismic model says

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, West New York is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. That puts West New York in the 65th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 65% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

How West New York compares

USGS's underlying values for West New York: 0.181g peak ground acceleration, 0.293g at short period, 0.06g at 1 second. Within New Jersey alone, West New York ranks 45 of 194 cities by seismic hazard - the 77th percentile in-state. West New York has a population of about 52,975.

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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A West New York 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 West New York's figures come from

West New York'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 West New York.