Columbia County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 28% of Columbia County's mapped land. 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 16 flood losses here since 2016. 66% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1966.
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 Columbia County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 28.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 79.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.8% |
| Mapped soil | 414,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Nassau | 18% | n/a |
| Stockbridge | 8% | n/a |
| Blasdell | 7% | n/a |
| Manlius | 4% | n/a |
| Macomber | 4% | n/a |
| Lanesboro | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY021 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 28% of Columbia 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: 39.77 in, 3.62 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 43.39 in.
USDA rates 79% 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 10 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 72.8% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the July 7, 2026 map.
| 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
16 flood losses since 2016, $82,656 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 9.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 9 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.39 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.77 in (-3.62) |
| 2025 | 38.62 in (-4.77) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 57.59 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1964: 26.61 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ALCOVE DAM (22 mi away) | 10 |
Homes
| Housing units | 33,393 |
| Median year built | 1966 |
| Built before 1980 | 66% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $347,100 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkshire County, MA | 23 mi | 0% | 33% |
| Greene County, NY | 27 mi | 1% | 35% |
| Albany County, NY | 29 mi | under 1% | 51% |
| Rensselaer County, NY | 32 mi | 0% | 49% |
| Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT | 34 mi | 0% | 40% |
| Dutchess County, NY | 35 mi | under 1% | 20% |
| Ulster County, NY | 39 mi | 2% | 36% |
| Schenectady County, NY | 45 mi | 1% | 51% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status