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Wrangell City and Borough, Alaska
A shallow water table limits basements on 37% of Wrangell City and Borough's mapped land, a higher share than 56% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
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. 59% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1976.
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 Wrangell City and Borough
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 37.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 60.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 2,221,842 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Mosman | 6% | n/a |
| Maybeso | 4% | n/a |
| Mitkof | 4% | n/a |
| Sunnyhay | 3% | n/a |
| Kushneahin | 3% | n/a |
| Kupreanof | 3% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
On 37% of Wrangell City and 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: 132.58 in, 15.39 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 147.97 in.
USDA rates 60% 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. Part of the county was in drought in 8 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 7.5% of its area, in 8 weeks, most recently on the September 22, 2026 map.
| 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 Wrangell City and Borough since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 147.97 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 132.58 in (-15.39) |
| 2025 | 140.98 in (-6.99) |
| Wettest year since 1925 | 1999: 184.18 in |
| Driest year since 1925 | 2018: 105.23 in |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,303 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 59% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 59% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $296,400 |
| Single-family detached | 65% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK | 56 mi | 0% | 35% |
| Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK | 67 mi | 0% | 47% |
| Petersburg Borough, AK | 79 mi | n/a | n/a |
| Sitka City and Borough, AK | 145 mi | n/a | n/a |
| Juneau City and Borough, AK | 171 mi | 0% | 10% |
| Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AK | 211 mi | 0% | 21% |
| Haines Borough, AK | 240 mi | 0% | 25% |
| Skagway Municipality, AK | 267 mi | 0% | 27% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (November 3, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status