Haines Borough, Alaska
A shallow water table limits basements on 25% of Haines Borough's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
The soil survey maps 46% of the county's land area; these shares describe the mapped part. None of the county is in drought on the November 3, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 37% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1987.
Data as of November 3, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, November 3, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Haines Borough
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 25.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 63.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 683,026 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Tolstoi | 6% | n/a |
| Kupreanof | 4% | n/a |
| Passage | 4% | n/a |
| Ferebee | 2% | n/a |
| Funter | 1% | n/a |
| Kaikli | 1% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AK641 (2025-08-29), AK646 (2025-09-08), AK692 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 25% of Haines Borough's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 83.31 in, 4.78 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 88.09 in.
USDA rates 63% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the November 3, 2026 map. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| Category, November 3, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Haines Borough since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 88.09 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 83.31 in (-4.78) |
| 2025 | 99.19 in (+11.10) |
| Wettest year since 1925 | 1943: 129.41 in |
| Driest year since 1925 | 1955: 60.52 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HAINES AP (10 mi away) | 10.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,379 |
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Built before 1980 | 37% |
| Built 2000 or later | 31% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $293,300 |
| Single-family detached | 81% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skagway Municipality, AK | 40 mi | 0% | 27% |
| Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AK | 49 mi | 0% | 21% |
| Juneau City and Borough, AK | 71 mi | 0% | 10% |
| Sitka City and Borough, AK | 132 mi | n/a | n/a |
| Petersburg Borough, AK | 163 mi | n/a | n/a |
| Yakutat City and Borough, AK | 181 mi | 0% | 23% |
| Wrangell City and Borough, AK | 240 mi | 0% | 37% |
| Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK | 252 mi | 0% | 35% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (November 3, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status