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Colfax County, New Mexico
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 52% of Colfax County's mapped land, a higher share than 92% of US counties and the highest of 33 New Mexico counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 2%.
The soil survey maps 80% of the county's land area; these shares describe the mapped part. 100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 54% 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 Colfax County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 52.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 1.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 52.2% |
| Mapped soil | 1,933,214 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Dargol | 7% | n/a |
| Fuera | 7% | n/a |
| Vamer | 5% | n/a |
| Mion | 4% | n/a |
| La Brier | 4% | n/a |
| Midnight | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NM007 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.5% by land area here, and 52% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 52% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 52% of Colfax County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 12.74 in, 4.32 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 17.06 in.
USDA rates 90% 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 42 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 30 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 | 99.5% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 66.7% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Colfax County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 17.06 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 12.74 in (-4.32) |
| 2025 | 16.94 in (-0.12) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1941: 27.53 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1956: 9.15 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MAXWELL 3 NW (4 mi away) | 2.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 9,607 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 54% |
| Built 2000 or later | 17% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $167,200 |
| Single-family detached | 73% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mora County, NM | 46 mi | 46% | under 1% |
| Taos County, NM | 55 mi | 12% | 2% |
| Las Animas County, CO | 59 mi | 27% | 1% |
| Costilla County, CO | 63 mi | under 1% | 4% |
| Union County, NM | 65 mi | 28% | 1% |
| Harding County, NM | 68 mi | 15% | 1% |
| Huerfano County, CO | 76 mi | 13% | 2% |
| San Miguel County, NM | 79 mi | 23% | 1% |
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