Lewis County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 50% of Lewis County's mapped land, a higher share than 66% of US counties. 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 4 flood losses here since 2016. 58% 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 Lewis County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 50.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 77.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.2% |
| Mapped soil | 826,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Adams | 7% | n/a |
| Empeyville | 6% | n/a |
| Worth | 5% | n/a |
| Colton | 4% | n/a |
| Camroden | 3% | n/a |
| Westbury | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY049 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 50% of Lewis 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: 49.60 in, 1.88 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 47.72 in.
USDA rates 78% 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, on the October 28, 2025 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 70% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
4 flood losses since 2016, $42,528 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 47.72 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 49.60 in (+1.88) |
| 2025 | 48.50 in (+0.78) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2008: 57.31 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1939: 36.08 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LOWVILLE (2 mi away) | 6.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 15,637 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 58% |
| Built 2000 or later | 17% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $166,100 |
| Single-family detached | 78% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herkimer County, NY | 33 mi | under 1% | 45% |
| Jefferson County, NY | 34 mi | 15% | 47% |
| Oneida County, NY | 37 mi | under 1% | 53% |
| Oswego County, NY | 44 mi | 1% | 59% |
| Hamilton County, NY | 48 mi | 0% | 41% |
| St. Lawrence County, NY | 52 mi | 11% | 49% |
| Madison County, NY | 61 mi | 2% | 57% |
| Onondaga County, NY | 66 mi | 1% | 46% |
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