Lincoln County, Maine
A shallow water table limits basements on 43% of Lincoln County's mapped land, a higher share than 61% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 72 flood losses here since 2016, 20% of them in buildings with basements. 53% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Lincoln County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 43.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 76.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 352,135 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Lyman | 14% | n/a |
| Peru | 9% | n/a |
| Tunbridge | 9% | n/a |
| Scantic | 7% | n/a |
| Boothbay | 5% | n/a |
| Swanville | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ME601 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 43% of Lincoln 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: 36.02 in, 12.20 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.22 in.
USDA rates 77% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% 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 42 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 98% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
72 flood losses since 2016, $3.1 million paid. The worst year was 2024, with 58. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 20% basements, 11% slabs, 18% crawl spaces, 51% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 19.5 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 58 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.22 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.02 in (-12.20) |
| 2025 | 40.20 in (-8.02) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2005: 69.39 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1941: 27.77 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at NEWCASTLE (4 mi away) | 12 |
Homes
| Housing units | 23,922 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 53% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 83% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $332,700 |
| Single-family detached | 84% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sagadahoc County, ME | 17 mi | 0% | 38% |
| Knox County, ME | 24 mi | 0% | 42% |
| Kennebec County, ME | 32 mi | 0% | 59% |
| Androscoggin County, ME | 36 mi | 0% | 45% |
| Waldo County, ME | 39 mi | 0% | 57% |
| Cumberland County, ME | 43 mi | 0% | 49% |
| Hancock County, ME | 69 mi | 0% | 47% |
| Oxford County, ME | 70 mi | 0% | 48% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status