Washington County, Maine
A shallow water table limits basements on 62% of Washington County's mapped land, a higher share than 75% of US counties and the 5th 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 12 flood losses here since 2016. 57% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1975.
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) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 61.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 82.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 1,859,511 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Colonel | 6% | n/a |
| Telos | 6% | n/a |
| Peru | 5% | n/a |
| Lamoine | 5% | n/a |
| Monarda | 5% | n/a |
| Brayton | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ME617 (2025-08-29), ME622 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 62% 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: 37.94 in, 10.94 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.88 in.
USDA rates 83% 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 40 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 32 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 | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
12 flood losses since 2016, $72,917 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 10.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.88 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.94 in (-10.94) |
| 2025 | 40.86 in (-8.02) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2005: 66.31 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2001: 27.82 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WOODLAND (17 mi away) | 12 |
Homes
| Housing units | 21,726 |
| Median year built | 1975 |
| Built before 1980 | 57% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $161,800 |
| Single-family detached | 81% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County, ME | 47 mi | 0% | 47% |
| Penobscot County, ME | 60 mi | 0% | 68% |
| Waldo County, ME | 81 mi | 0% | 57% |
| Knox County, ME | 95 mi | 0% | 42% |
| Piscataquis County, ME | 98 mi | 0% | 68% |
| Kennebec County, ME | 113 mi | 0% | 59% |
| Lincoln County, ME | 115 mi | 0% | 43% |
| Somerset County, ME | 120 mi | 0% | 66% |
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