Allegany County, Maryland
A shallow water table limits basements on 21% of Allegany County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 52 flood losses here since 2016, 73% of them in buildings with basements. 77% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1959.
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 Allegany County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 21.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.6% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.8% |
| Mapped soil | 273,635 acres |
How we count · survey areas MD001 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 21% of Allegany 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: 31.51 in, 9.09 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 40.60 in.
USDA rates 92% 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 44 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 24 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 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
52 flood losses since 2016, $2.1 million paid. The worst year was 2025, with 34. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 73% basements, 10% slabs, 5% crawl spaces, 13% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 17 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 34 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 40.60 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 31.51 in (-9.09) |
| 2025 | 35.20 in (-5.40) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 68.01 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 19.39 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CUMBERLAND 2 (3 mi away) | 8.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 32,720 |
| Median year built | 1959 |
| Built before 1980 | 77% |
| Built 2000 or later | 8% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $154,900 |
| Single-family detached | 72% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral County, WV | 20 mi | 2% | 21% |
| Hampshire County, WV | 21 mi | 1% | 18% |
| Morgan County, WV | 24 mi | under 1% | 23% |
| Bedford County, PA | 29 mi | 3% | 36% |
| Garrett County, MD | 31 mi | 0% | 47% |
| Somerset County, PA | 31 mi | 0% | 39% |
| Frederick County, VA | 37 mi | 16% | 15% |
| Fulton County, PA | 37 mi | 1% | 30% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 9, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status