Broome County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 69% of Broome County's mapped land, a higher share than 81% of US counties and the 9th highest of 62 New York counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 109 flood losses here since 2016, 61% of them in buildings with basements. 79% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1958.
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 Broome County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 69.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 457,700 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Volusia | 33% | over 99% |
| Mardin | 15% | n/a |
| Lordstown | 12% | n/a |
| Bath | 8% | n/a |
| Oquaga | 4% | n/a |
| Lackawanna | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY007 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 69% of Broome 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: 42.29 in, 1.49 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 43.78 in.
USDA rates 95% 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. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
109 flood losses since 2016, $2.5 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 45. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 61% basements, 21% slabs, 7% crawl spaces, 11% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 10 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 25 |
| 2018 | 45 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 15 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.78 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.29 in (-1.49) |
| 2025 | 41.84 in (-1.94) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 67.25 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1939: 29.97 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BINGHAMTON (8 mi away) | 7.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 93,164 |
| Median year built | 1958 |
| Built before 1980 | 79% |
| Built 2000 or later | 7% |
| Owner-occupied | 65% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $154,900 |
| Single-family detached | 60% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susquehanna County, PA | 24 mi | 0% | 69% |
| Tioga County, NY | 24 mi | 0% | 56% |
| Chenango County, NY | 25 mi | 0% | 62% |
| Cortland County, NY | 32 mi | 0% | 62% |
| Tompkins County, NY | 39 mi | under 1% | 70% |
| Bradford County, PA | 43 mi | 0% | 68% |
| Delaware County, NY | 44 mi | 0% | 49% |
| Wyoming County, PA | 45 mi | 0% | 58% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 27, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status