Talbot County, Maryland
A shallow water table limits basements on 65% of Talbot County's mapped land, a higher share than 78% of US counties and the 6th highest of 24 Maryland 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 76 flood losses here since 2016, 6% 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 Talbot County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 64.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 72.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 204,507 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Mattapex | 11% | n/a |
| Crosiadore | 10% | n/a |
| Hambrook | 9% | n/a |
| Elkton | 8% | n/a |
| Woodstown | 7% | n/a |
| Othello | 7% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MD041 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 65% of Talbot 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: 33.74 in, 11.60 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.34 in.
USDA rates 72% 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 24 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 17 weeks, most recently on the August 18, 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
76 flood losses since 2016, $2.3 million paid. The worst year was 2021, with 33. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 6% basements, 23% slabs, 60% crawl spaces, 11% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 13 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 33 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 22 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.34 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 33.74 in (-11.60) |
| 2025 | 38.68 in (-6.66) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2003: 62.91 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 23.41 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ROYAL OAK 2 SSW (2 mi away) | 13 |
Homes
| Housing units | 19,720 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 45% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $409,700 |
| Single-family detached | 78% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline County, MD | 21 mi | 0% | 86% |
| Queen Anne's County, MD | 21 mi | under 1% | 79% |
| Dorchester County, MD | 23 mi | 0% | 69% |
| Calvert County, MD | 25 mi | under 1% | 56% |
| Anne Arundel County, MD | 27 mi | 0% | 46% |
| Kent County, MD | 34 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Prince George's County, MD | 37 mi | 1% | 46% |
| Wicomico County, MD | 39 mi | under 1% | 84% |
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