York's Seismic Design Category, explained

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places York in Seismic Design 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 York sits at the 53th percentile for seismic hazard among 4,875 US cities.

How York compares

USGS's underlying values for York: 0.087g peak ground acceleration, 0.16g at short period, 0.045g at 1 second. Within Pennsylvania alone, York ranks 63 of 193 cities by seismic hazard - the 68th percentile in-state. York has a population of about 45,241.

What a retrofit costs in York

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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.

What this means for insurance

A 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 York's figures come from

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 York.