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Burlington County, New Jersey
A shallow water table limits basements on 61% of Burlington County's mapped land, a higher share than 75% of US counties and the 2nd highest of 21 New Jersey counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 380 flood losses here since 2016, 59% of them in buildings with basements. 55% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.
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 Burlington County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 60.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | under 0.1% |
| Urban land, not rated | 2.1% |
| Mapped soil | 522,367 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Atsion | 13% | n/a |
| Lakehurst | 12% | n/a |
| Lakewood | 8% | n/a |
| Freehold | 5% | n/a |
| Evesboro | 4% | n/a |
| Downer | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NJ005 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 61% of Burlington 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: 36.16 in, 10.87 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 47.03 in.
USDA rates 97% 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 49 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 13 weeks, most recently on the July 7, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 38% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
380 flood losses since 2016, $5.6 million paid. The worst year was 2019, with 140. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 59% basements, 12% slabs, 15% crawl spaces, 15% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 11 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2018 | 51 |
| 2019 | 140 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 39 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 27 |
| 2024 | 88 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 2 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 47.03 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.16 in (-10.87) |
| 2025 | 38.33 in (-8.70) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 65.42 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1965: 29.03 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at INDIAN MILLS 2 W (8 mi away) | 14 |
Homes
| Housing units | 186,315 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 55% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $354,000 |
| Single-family detached | 64% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camden County, NJ | 17 mi | under 1% | 44% |
| Ocean County, NJ | 22 mi | under 1% | 57% |
| Philadelphia County, PA | 27 mi | 0% | 5% |
| Gloucester County, NJ | 28 mi | 2% | 34% |
| Atlantic County, NJ | 28 mi | 0% | 60% |
| Mercer County, NJ | 28 mi | 0% | 44% |
| Delaware County, PA | 39 mi | under 1% | 22% |
| Monmouth County, NJ | 39 mi | under 1% | 40% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 28, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status