Washington County, New York
A shallow water table limits basements on 34% of Washington County's mapped land, a higher share than 53% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 12%.
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. 64% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1963.
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 Washington County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 11.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 34.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 71.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 11.7% |
| Mapped soil | 541,600 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Nassau | 16% | n/a |
| Bernardston | 14% | n/a |
| Hollis | 9% | n/a |
| Vergennes | 7% | n/a |
| Charlton | 6% | n/a |
| Kingsbury | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NY115 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 34% of Washington 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: 37.86 in, 3.19 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 41.05 in.
USDA rates 71% 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 4 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 75.8% of its area, on the October 14, 2025 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 63.4% |
| 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, $36,308 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 41.05 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.86 in (-3.19) |
| 2025 | 38.77 in (-2.28) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2008: 52.89 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1964: 27.59 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GLENS FALLS AP (9 mi away) | 7.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 29,192 |
| Median year built | 1963 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $196,200 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bennington County, VT | 25 mi | 0% | 32% |
| Saratoga County, NY | 26 mi | 0% | 37% |
| Warren County, NY | 26 mi | under 1% | 15% |
| Rutland County, VT | 28 mi | 2% | 37% |
| Rensselaer County, NY | 42 mi | 0% | 49% |
| Windham County, VT | 42 mi | 0% | 29% |
| Windsor County, VT | 45 mi | 0% | 27% |
| Schenectady County, NY | 46 mi | 1% | 51% |
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