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Cameron County, Pennsylvania
A shallow water table limits basements on 24% of Cameron County's mapped land. 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 2 flood losses here since 2016. 76% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1959.
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 Cameron County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 24.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 255,542 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hazleton | 30% | 0% |
| Hartleton | 24% | n/a |
| Leck Kill | 17% | n/a |
| Cookport | 9% | n/a |
| Buchanan | 5% | n/a |
| Albrights | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas PA607 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 24% of Cameron 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: 44.28 in, 0.34 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 43.94 in.
USDA rates 98% 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 December 16, 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
2 flood losses since 2016, $4,646 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.94 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 44.28 in (+0.34) |
| 2025 | 38.70 in (-5.24) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 57.99 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 29.64 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at STEVENSON DAM (10 mi away) | 8.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,920 |
| Median year built | 1959 |
| Built before 1980 | 76% |
| Built 2000 or later | 6% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $88,900 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk County, PA | 24 mi | 0% | 52% |
| Potter County, PA | 27 mi | 0% | 37% |
| McKean County, PA | 32 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Clinton County, PA | 33 mi | 1% | 35% |
| Clearfield County, PA | 33 mi | 0% | 37% |
| Centre County, PA | 41 mi | 4% | 31% |
| Jefferson County, PA | 47 mi | under 1% | 42% |
| Tioga County, PA | 54 mi | 0% | 49% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 5, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status