Livingston County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 78% of Livingston County's mapped land, a higher share than 87% of US counties and the 3rd highest of 62 New York counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 24%.
The soil survey maps 30% of the county's land area; these shares describe the mapped part. None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 17 flood losses here since 2016. 64% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1970.
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 Livingston County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 23.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 78.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 23.8% |
| Mapped soil | 122,597 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Volusia | 17% | over 99% |
| Odessa | 13% | n/a |
| Erie | 7% | n/a |
| Conesus | 7% | n/a |
| Kendaia | 6% | n/a |
| Mardin | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY051 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.1% by land area here, and 24% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 24% of the mapped land.
On 78% of Livingston 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: 38.21 in, 2.65 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 35.56 in.
USDA rates 85% 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 21 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 13 weeks, most recently on the January 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
17 flood losses since 2016, $221,824 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 7.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 to date | 4 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.56 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 38.21 in (+2.65) |
| 2025 | 31.24 in (-4.32) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2017: 45.37 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 23.82 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MT MORRIS 2 W (6 mi away) | 5.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 27,328 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $174,600 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
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 | 23 mi | 0% | 72% |
| Ontario County, NY | 26 mi | 11% | 59% |
| Genesee County, NY | 28 mi | 4% | 63% |
| Yates County, NY | 35 mi | 1% | 83% |
| Allegany County, NY | 36 mi | 0% | 80% |
| Monroe County, NY | 36 mi | 6% | 55% |
| Steuben County, NY | 38 mi | 0% | 63% |
| Orleans County, NY | 47 mi | 5% | 77% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 28, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status