Wilmer's Seismic Design Category, explained

Under the seismic model IBC and ASCE 7 use for new construction, Wilmer is Category B. Low seismic hazard. Code requires basic seismic detailing (bracing, connections) but no special structural system restrictions. Rank it against the rest of the country and Wilmer sits at the 23th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

Wilmer by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Wilmer: 0.043g peak ground acceleration, 0.091g at short period, 0.053g at 1 second. Within Texas alone, Wilmer ranks 142 of 384 cities by seismic hazard - the 63th percentile in-state. Wilmer has a population of about 6,774.

Retrofit economics for Wilmer

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 Texas 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 Texas.

Insuring against this, not just retrofitting

A Wilmer 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 Wilmer's figures come from

Wilmer'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 Wilmer.