Dutchess County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 20% of Dutchess County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 141 flood losses here since 2016, 55% of them in buildings with basements. 64% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1971.
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 Dutchess County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 19.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 70.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.1% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.1% |
| Mapped soil | 527,700 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Nassau | 10% | n/a |
| Cardigan | 9% | n/a |
| Dutchess | 8% | n/a |
| Stockbridge | 7% | n/a |
| Sun | 5% | n/a |
| Hoosic | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY027 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 20% of Dutchess 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: 36.13 in, 9.37 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.50 in.
USDA rates 71% 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 18 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the June 30, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 2.2% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
141 flood losses since 2016, $3.0 million paid. The worst year was 2021, with 78. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 55% basements, 18% slabs, 8% crawl spaces, 19% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 10 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 78 |
| 2022 | 10 |
| 2023 | 29 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.50 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.13 in (-9.37) |
| 2025 | 39.69 in (-5.81) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 65.69 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1964: 28.45 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MOHONK LAKE (21 mi away) | 15 |
Homes
| Housing units | 123,169 |
| Median year built | 1971 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 69% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $400,600 |
| Single-family detached | 63% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County, NY | 23 mi | 0% | 32% |
| Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT | 28 mi | 0% | 40% |
| Ulster County, NY | 30 mi | 2% | 36% |
| Columbia County, NY | 35 mi | 1% | 28% |
| Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 36 mi | 0% | 35% |
| Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT | 37 mi | under 1% | 37% |
| Orange County, NY | 38 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Westchester County, NY | 42 mi | 0% | 33% |
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