# Where in the U.S. is the least likely to have an earthquake **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 15, 2010, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106 "2010-02-15T19:53:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/21 "2010-02-16T01:10:40Z")
Am I the only one who suspects that the lack of earthquake damage in North Dakota is due to a lack of anything to damage there? ---
**Author:** ![AdmiralCrunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@AdmiralCrunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdmiralCrunch)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/22 "2010-02-16T01:36:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Am I the only one who suspects that the lack of earthquake damage in North Dakota is due to a lack of anything to damage there? That was the saving grace of the New Madrid quakes of 1811-1812: almost nothing to destroy for 3 ~8.0 quakes centered in Missouri that rang church bells in Boston. And just for reference, more people die in [car accidents](http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/nrd-30/ncsa/STSI/6_CA/2008/6_CA_2008.htm) every year in California than have died from [earthquakes](http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/us_deaths.php) in the entire United States for its entire history(assuming fire was the culprit for a number of deaths in the 1906 quake). ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/23 "2010-02-16T01:44:15Z")
There was a minor window-rattling tremor some years ago here in Upstate NY. I thought a big truck had driven down our little side street. Turns out it originated in the Adirondacks a couple hundred miles away. I was astonished to hear that…that’s all I got, I just wanted to tell my 9 day wonder earthquake story. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/24 "2010-02-16T01:58:02Z")
Detroit, no jobs but no earthquakes, no poisonous snakes, no poisonous spiders, no tornadoes, no hurricanes, no pumas and gators eating people. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/25 "2010-02-16T02:04:34Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Detroit, no jobs but no earthquakes, no poisonous snakes, no poisonous spiders, no tornadoes, no hurricanes, no pumas and gators eating people. But all of the ones you listed were the first ones to leave in absolute terror. ---
**Author:** ![Apex\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@Apex\_Rogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apex_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/26 "2010-02-16T02:05:18Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Detroit, no jobs but no earthquakes, no poisonous snakes, no poisonous spiders, no tornadoes, no hurricanes, no pumas and gators eating people. Detroit does have plenty of murders, burglaries, and violent assaults though. 😉 > **[Detroit Crime Statistics and Crime Data (Detroit, MI)](https://detroit.areaconnect.com/crime1.htm)** > > Detroit Annual Crime Statistics ...find local info, yellow pages, white pages, demographics and more using Areaconnect Detroit ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/27 "2010-02-16T02:06:49Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > You do realize that in your search for an earthquake-free zone, you are trading it for floods, fires, hurricanes and tornadoes. I’m sure someone will come along with the statistical odds showing your fear is misplaced, and that living in an earthquake area may be the safer place to live. We have almost no weather “events” here, low humidity, no rats, no poisonous bugs or snakes (well, the odd rattler, but not in town), hardly any mosquitos in summer even. We do, however, have cold that will kill you if you go outside too long for six months of the year. You really do have to figure out what your opportunity cost is. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/28 "2010-02-16T02:09:45Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > If you are serious about altering your lifestyle to get around your fear of earthquakes, you probably need Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which is designed to treat such things. Too bad he’s not going to Universal Studios instead. Maybe the _Earthquake!_ ride is just what he needs. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/29 "2010-02-16T02:14:08Z")
I slept through the next-to-last St. Lawrence Valley quake – there was one (the one **salinqmind** mentions) after we moved away. People do tend to hear “earthquake” and think the severe and famous ones – my impression from reading things by Californians and the two (light) ones I was supposedly affected by but didn’t notice, is that the typical quake is mild enough not to be a porblem unless you have stacked breakables at the time. I don’t do Mercalli-Richter conversions easily, but I’m talking the little gray dots on **bytegeist** ’s map. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/30 "2010-02-16T02:26:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Am I the only one who suspects that the lack of earthquake damage in North Dakota is due to a lack of anything to damage there? For shame, sir! _For shame!_ You and your scurrilous barbs! I dare you to read the following and not immediately start booking plane tickets: Birding Adventures in North Dakota Wildlife enthusiasts who tour North Dakota are **thoroughly impressed** with such remarkable destinations as the Missouri Coteau, the Turtle Mountains, the Missouri River Valley, the Badlands, the Pembina Gorge, and the Sheyenne Grasslands, along with the best of our **62** national wildlife refuges — **we boast more wildlife refuges than any other state**. Maltese Cross Cabin, Medora Built during the winter of 1883-84, the Maltese Cross Cabin was **Theodore Roosevelt’s first home in Dakota Territory**. Dale and Martha Hawk Museum Pioneer exhibit in Wolford includes collections on original Hawk Farmstead. **See early 1900s** steam engines, **threshers** , tractors, autos, large number of farm implements along with a wide range of early household items. Some pre-Civil War era. Tour through 12 buildings on the grounds. Picnic area, camping, RV parking, hot showers, flush toilets, handicap accessible throughout. National Buffalo Museum The National Buffalo Museum, located in Jamestown, portrays the evolution of the buffalo through its display and exhibits. **Look for** the live herd of buffalo and **the rare albino buffalo, White Cloud, in the museum’s adjacent pasture**. Corn “Maize” in Mandan Go South on Hwy 1806 towards Fort Lincoln park. Fifth approach on left hand side of road from 19th Street. Join us for our Grand Opening on September 18th at 7:00 pm. We will have HOT 97.5 at the maize as well as a **FREE CORN FEED** for our maize goers. Early 1900s threshers? Teddy Roosevelt’s first home in the Dakotas? An albino buffalo? _ **National treasures all.** _ ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/31 "2010-02-16T02:29:57Z")
The thing is, I was in an earthquake in California once. It wasn’t a big one, but it woke me out of a sound sleep and I cowered in a doorway for the eternity it lasted. It was a small one by California standards (5.7) but it was TERRIFYING! I can’t imagine how therapy would work in this case. There is no ‘grass snake’ equivalent of being in an earthquake. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106/32 "2010-02-16T03:33:42Z")
> [@Palo\_Verde](#): > > I can’t imagine how therapy would work in this case. There is no ‘grass snake’ equivalent of being in an earthquake. Of course there is. [http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1918513](http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1918513) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-in-the-u-s-is-the-least-likely-to-have-an-earthquake/529106.md?page=1)