Saratoga County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 37% of Saratoga County's mapped land, a higher share than 56% 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 20 flood losses here since 2016. 44% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1984.
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 Saratoga County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 37.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 75.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 537,300 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Windsor | 8% | n/a |
| Oakville | 7% | n/a |
| Berkshire | 7% | n/a |
| Becket | 7% | n/a |
| Charlton | 6% | n/a |
| Tunbridge | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY091 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 37% of Saratoga 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: 42.93 in, 1.93 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 44.86 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 2 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 14% 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 | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
20 flood losses since 2016, $128,013 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 4.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 44.86 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.93 in (-1.93) |
| 2025 | 43.64 in (-1.22) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 56.90 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1964: 27.61 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SARATOGA SPRINGS 4 SW (5 mi away) | 10.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 112,109 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 44% |
| Built 2000 or later | 28% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $348,600 |
| Single-family detached | 62% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schenectady County, NY | 22 mi | 1% | 51% |
| Washington County, NY | 26 mi | 12% | 34% |
| Fulton County, NY | 29 mi | 0% | 47% |
| Warren County, NY | 31 mi | under 1% | 15% |
| Rensselaer County, NY | 32 mi | 0% | 49% |
| Montgomery County, NY | 33 mi | 3% | 48% |
| Albany County, NY | 36 mi | under 1% | 51% |
| Bennington County, VT | 38 mi | 0% | 32% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status