Fulton County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 47% of Fulton County's mapped land, a higher share than 64% 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 15 flood losses here since 2016. 75% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1954.
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 Fulton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 47.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 76.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | under 0.1% |
| Mapped soil | 340,800 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Becket | 9% | n/a |
| Tunbridge | 7% | n/a |
| Skerry | 5% | n/a |
| Henniker | 4% | n/a |
| Broadalbin | 4% | n/a |
| Lansing | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY035 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 47% of Fulton 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: 45.78 in, 2.90 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.68 in.
USDA rates 76% 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 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the October 28, 2025 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 34.6% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
15 flood losses since 2016, $69,408 paid. The worst year was 2022, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.68 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 45.78 in (-2.90) |
| 2025 | 47.42 in (-1.26) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 64.59 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1964: 32.77 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at COBLESKILL 2 ESE (31 mi away) | 7.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 28,199 |
| Median year built | 1954 |
| Built before 1980 | 75% |
| Built 2000 or later | 9% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $163,100 |
| Single-family detached | 66% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County, NY | 16 mi | 3% | 48% |
| Schenectady County, NY | 28 mi | 1% | 51% |
| Saratoga County, NY | 29 mi | 0% | 37% |
| Schoharie County, NY | 36 mi | 3% | 46% |
| Hamilton County, NY | 38 mi | 0% | 41% |
| Herkimer County, NY | 38 mi | under 1% | 45% |
| Warren County, NY | 43 mi | under 1% | 15% |
| Albany County, NY | 43 mi | under 1% | 51% |
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