Delaware County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 49% of Delaware County's mapped land, a higher share than 66% 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 27 flood losses here since 2016, 87% of them in buildings with basements. 61% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1972.
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 Delaware County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 49.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 87.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 939,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Vly | 10% | n/a |
| Willowemoc | 9% | n/a |
| Lewbeach | 7% | n/a |
| Mongaup | 7% | n/a |
| Lackawanna | 7% | n/a |
| Halcott | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY025 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 49% of Delaware 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: 43.06 in, 3.89 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.95 in.
USDA rates 88% 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
27 flood losses since 2016, $225,668 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 12. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 87% basements, 9% slabs, 4% crawl spaces.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.95 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.06 in (-3.89) |
| 2025 | 44.12 in (-2.83) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 67.72 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1964: 32.19 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at EMMONS (19 mi away) | 7.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 30,057 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 61% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $183,100 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otsego County, NY | 30 mi | 0% | 49% |
| Sullivan County, NY | 34 mi | under 1% | 52% |
| Chenango County, NY | 38 mi | 0% | 62% |
| Schoharie County, NY | 38 mi | 3% | 46% |
| Ulster County, NY | 40 mi | 2% | 36% |
| Wayne County, PA | 41 mi | 0% | 64% |
| Greene County, NY | 42 mi | 1% | 35% |
| Broome County, NY | 44 mi | 0% | 69% |
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