Piscataquis County, Maine
A shallow water table limits basements on 68% of Piscataquis County's mapped land, a higher share than 80% of US counties and the 3rd highest of 16 Maine 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 5 flood losses here since 2016. 54% 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 Piscataquis County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 67.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 2,750,443 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Telos | 12% | n/a |
| Monarda | 12% | n/a |
| Monson | 6% | n/a |
| Burnham | 5% | n/a |
| Ragmuff | 5% | n/a |
| Chesuncook | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ME615 (2025-08-29), ME620 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 68% of Piscataquis 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: 37.92 in, 6.85 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 44.77 in.
USDA rates 89% 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 33 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 | 62.8% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
5 flood losses since 2016, $94,760 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 5.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 44.77 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.92 in (-6.85) |
| 2025 | 39.32 in (-5.45) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2005: 60.77 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2001: 28.92 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MILLINOCKET (27 mi away) | 9.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 14,680 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 54% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $170,200 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penobscot County, ME | 41 mi | 0% | 68% |
| Somerset County, ME | 50 mi | 0% | 66% |
| Aroostook County, ME | 60 mi | 0% | 74% |
| Franklin County, ME | 91 mi | 0% | 58% |
| Washington County, ME | 98 mi | 0% | 62% |
| Waldo County, ME | 100 mi | 0% | 57% |
| Hancock County, ME | 100 mi | 0% | 47% |
| Kennebec County, ME | 108 mi | 0% | 59% |
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