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Cattaraugus County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 65% of Cattaraugus County's mapped land, a higher share than 78% of US 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 11 flood losses here since 2016. 69% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1960.
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 Cattaraugus County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 64.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 822,000 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Volusia | 7% | over 99% |
| Mardin | 6% | n/a |
| Ischua | 5% | n/a |
| Napoli | 4% | n/a |
| Yorkshire | 4% | n/a |
| Chenango | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY009 (2026-03-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 65% of Cattaraugus 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: 47.08 in, 1.76 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 45.32 in.
USDA rates 86% 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 5 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, on the October 21, 2025 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 69.2% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
11 flood losses since 2016, $133,629 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.32 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 47.08 in (+1.76) |
| 2025 | 43.34 in (-1.98) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1977: 55.75 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 30.89 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LITTLE VALLEY (8 mi away) | 7.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 40,356 |
| Median year built | 1960 |
| Built before 1980 | 69% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $113,100 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| McKean County, PA | 30 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Allegany County, NY | 33 mi | 0% | 80% |
| Erie County, NY | 36 mi | 6% | 66% |
| Chautauqua County, NY | 38 mi | 0% | 75% |
| Wyoming County, NY | 39 mi | 0% | 72% |
| Warren County, PA | 43 mi | 0% | 67% |
| Potter County, PA | 52 mi | 0% | 37% |
| Elk County, PA | 56 mi | 0% | 52% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (March 9, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status