HomeMassachusettsWorcester County
Worcester County, Massachusetts
A shallow water table limits basements on 51% of Worcester County's mapped land, a higher share than 67% of US counties and the 3rd highest of 14 Massachusetts counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 101 flood losses here since 2016, 72% of them in buildings with basements. 64% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1967.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, October 13, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Worcester County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 50.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 0.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.6% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.5% |
| Mapped soil | 1,010,912 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Paxton | 15% | n/a |
| Woodbridge | 8% | n/a |
| Canton | 7% | n/a |
| Charlton | 5% | n/a |
| Hinckley | 5% | n/a |
| Ridgebury | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MA613 (2025-09-05), MA614 (2025-09-05), MA615 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 51% of Worcester County'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: 41.04 in, 7.91 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.95 in.
USDA rates 86% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 42 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 4 weeks, most recently on the July 21, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0.7% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
101 flood losses since 2016, $3.4 million paid. The worst year was 2023, with 38. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 72% basements, 15% slabs, 13% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 13 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 22 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 38 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.95 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 41.04 in (-7.91) |
| 2025 | 44.08 in (-4.87) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 63.76 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1965: 29.73 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WORCESTER RGNL AP (4 mi away) | 12 |
Homes
| Housing units | 355,185 |
| Median year built | 1967 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 66% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $423,700 |
| Single-family detached | 57% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex County, MA | 30 mi | 0% | 41% |
| Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 32 mi | 0% | 52% |
| Providence County, RI | 36 mi | 0% | 42% |
| Hampshire County, MA | 37 mi | under 1% | 47% |
| Hampden County, MA | 38 mi | 0% | 33% |
| Franklin County, MA | 38 mi | 0% | 36% |
| Norfolk County, MA | 40 mi | 0% | 34% |
| Hillsborough County, NH | 43 mi | 3% | 28% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 5, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status