Washington County, Maryland
A shallow water table limits basements on 18% of Washington County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 9%.
59.6% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, down from 75.9% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 21 flood losses here since 2016. 57% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1974.
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 Washington County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 9.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 17.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 60.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.9% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.2% |
| Mapped soil | 296,549 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hagerstown | 16% | n/a |
| Duffield | 9% | n/a |
| Weikert | 5% | under 1% |
| Ryder | 3% | n/a |
| Bagtown | 3% | n/a |
| Murrill | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MD043 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 18% of Washington 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: 30.84 in, 10.04 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 40.88 in.
USDA rates 60% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
59.6% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 52 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 31 weeks, most recently on the July 14, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 83.2% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 59.6% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
21 flood losses since 2016, $133,619 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 14.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 40.88 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 30.84 in (-10.04) |
| 2025 | 32.14 in (-8.74) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 66.03 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 21.89 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MARTINSBURG E WV RGNL AP (17 mi away) | 9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 64,145 |
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Built before 1980 | 57% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 67% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $296,100 |
| Single-family detached | 63% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley County, WV | 16 mi | 8% | 21% |
| Jefferson County, WV | 21 mi | 37% | 14% |
| Franklin County, PA | 23 mi | 4% | 32% |
| Morgan County, WV | 24 mi | under 1% | 23% |
| Frederick County, MD | 24 mi | 1% | 22% |
| Fulton County, PA | 27 mi | 1% | 30% |
| Clarke County, VA | 35 mi | 31% | 15% |
| Winchester city, VA | 35 mi | 22% | 5% |
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