Putnam County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 32% of Putnam County's mapped land, a higher share than 51% 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 50 flood losses here since 2016, 36% of them in buildings with basements. 67% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1968.
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 Putnam County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 32.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 74.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 0.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 157,600 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Charlton | 25% | n/a |
| Chatfield | 16% | n/a |
| Paxton | 10% | n/a |
| Hollis | 9% | n/a |
| Leicester | 4% | n/a |
| Woodbridge | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY079 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 32% of Putnam 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: 41.96 in, 6.32 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.28 in.
USDA rates 74% 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 14 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 3 weeks, most recently on the June 30, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
50 flood losses since 2016, $1.5 million paid. The worst year was 2023, with 30. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 36% basements, 28% slabs, 11% crawl spaces, 26% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 13 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 30 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.28 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 41.96 in (-6.32) |
| 2025 | 39.43 in (-8.85) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 70.90 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1965: 32.24 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WEST POINT (12 mi away) | 13.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 38,450 |
| Median year built | 1968 |
| Built before 1980 | 67% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 84% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $471,300 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 19 mi | 0% | 35% |
| Westchester County, NY | 19 mi | 0% | 33% |
| Dutchess County, NY | 23 mi | under 1% | 20% |
| Rockland County, NY | 24 mi | 0% | 30% |
| Orange County, NY | 29 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT | 32 mi | 0% | 23% |
| Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT | 35 mi | under 1% | 37% |
| Bergen County, NJ | 37 mi | 0% | 26% |
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