Erie County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 66% of Erie County's mapped land, a higher share than 79% of US counties and the 10th highest of 62 New York counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 127 flood losses here since 2016, 63% of them in buildings with basements. 77% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1957.
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 Erie County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 6.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 65.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 74.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 6.0% |
| Urban land, not rated | 4.2% |
| Mapped soil | 659,400 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Mardin | 6% | n/a |
| Volusia | 5% | over 99% |
| Niagara | 3% | n/a |
| Odessa | 3% | n/a |
| Orpark | 3% | n/a |
| Rhinebeck | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY029 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 66% of Erie 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: 48.23 in, 6.63 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 41.60 in.
USDA rates 75% 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 13 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 | 96% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
127 flood losses since 2016, $2.7 million paid. The worst year was 2022, with 22. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 63% basements, 9% slabs, 15% crawl spaces, 13% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 12 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 21 |
| 2018 | 9 |
| 2019 | 22 |
| 2020 | 20 |
| 2021 | 17 |
| 2022 | 22 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 6 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 41.60 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 48.23 in (+6.63) |
| 2025 | 37.79 in (-3.81) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1977: 53.63 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 27.43 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WALES (10 mi away) | 6.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 441,214 |
| Median year built | 1957 |
| Built before 1980 | 77% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 66% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $233,800 |
| Single-family detached | 59% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming County, NY | 28 mi | 0% | 72% |
| Genesee County, NY | 34 mi | 4% | 63% |
| Niagara County, NY | 36 mi | 14% | 75% |
| Cattaraugus County, NY | 36 mi | 0% | 65% |
| Chautauqua County, NY | 45 mi | 0% | 75% |
| Orleans County, NY | 50 mi | 5% | 77% |
| Livingston County, NY | 51 mi | 24% | 78% |
| Allegany County, NY | 52 mi | 0% | 80% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 4, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status