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Anne Arundel County, Maryland
A shallow water table limits basements on 46% of Anne Arundel County's mapped land, a higher share than 63% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 322 flood losses here since 2016, 28% of them in buildings with basements. 45% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1983.
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 Anne Arundel County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 45.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 76.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.8% |
| Urban land, not rated | 7.6% |
| Mapped soil | 290,300 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Annapolis | 7% | n/a |
| Marr | 7% | n/a |
| Dodon | 6% | n/a |
| Patapsco | 5% | n/a |
| Collington | 4% | n/a |
| Downer | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MD003 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 46% of Anne Arundel 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: 32.48 in, 13.11 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.59 in.
USDA rates 76% 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 34 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 24 weeks, most recently on the July 28, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
322 flood losses since 2016, $4.7 million paid. The worst year was 2021, with 96. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 28% basements, 18% slabs, 33% crawl spaces, 20% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 9 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 43 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 29 |
| 2021 | 96 |
| 2022 | 15 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2024 | 80 |
| 2025 | 11 |
| 2026 to date | 4 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.59 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 32.48 in (-13.11) |
| 2025 | 38.72 in (-6.87) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 68.64 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 20.72 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BALTIMORE WASH INTL AP (14 mi away) | 10.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 236,262 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 45% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $467,900 |
| Single-family detached | 60% |
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 George's County, MD | 19 mi | 1% | 46% |
| Baltimore city, MD | 21 mi | 5% | 18% |
| District of Columbia, DC | 25 mi | 0% | 9% |
| Queen Anne's County, MD | 26 mi | under 1% | 79% |
| Howard County, MD | 27 mi | 1% | 24% |
| Talbot County, MD | 27 mi | 0% | 65% |
| Kent County, MD | 29 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Arlington County, VA | 30 mi | 0% | 3% |
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