Harford County, Maryland
A shallow water table limits basements on 29% of Harford County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
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, 50% of them in buildings with basements. 40% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.
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 Harford County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 5.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 29.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 70.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.2% |
| Mapped soil | 310,532 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Glenelg | 14% | 0% |
| Manor | 11% | n/a |
| Chester | 10% | n/a |
| Neshaminy | 5% | n/a |
| Glenville | 4% | n/a |
| Montalto | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MD600 (2025-09-09), MD601 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 29% of Harford 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: 36.65 in, 10.14 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.79 in.
USDA rates 70% 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 36 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 25 weeks, most recently on the August 4, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 95.6% |
| 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, $795,482 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 19. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 50% basements, 22% slabs, 19% crawl spaces, 9% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 12 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 19 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.79 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.65 in (-10.14) |
| 2025 | 39.16 in (-7.63) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 63.73 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 25.86 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CONOWINGO DAM (10 mi away) | 13 |
Homes
| Housing units | 105,468 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 40% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $386,400 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore County, MD | 18 mi | 2% | 23% |
| Cecil County, MD | 19 mi | 2% | 38% |
| Kent County, MD | 22 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Baltimore city, MD | 23 mi | 5% | 18% |
| Lancaster County, PA | 35 mi | under 1% | 18% |
| York County, PA | 35 mi | under 1% | 20% |
| New Castle County, DE | 35 mi | 2% | 34% |
| Queen Anne's County, MD | 36 mi | under 1% | 79% |
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