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Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
A shallow water table limits basements on 37% of Clearfield 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 52 flood losses here since 2016, 71% of them in buildings with basements. 65% 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 Clearfield County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 37.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 95.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 738,618 acres |
How we count · survey areas PA033 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 37% of Clearfield 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: 44.58 in, 1.01 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 43.57 in.
USDA rates 96% 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 9 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 38.9% of its area, in 3 weeks, most recently on the December 30, 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
52 flood losses since 2016, $1.0 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 26. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 71% basements, 14% slabs, 6% crawl spaces, 9% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 14 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 26 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 6 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.57 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 44.58 in (+1.01) |
| 2025 | 39.59 in (-3.98) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 63.88 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 28.71 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PRINCE GALLITZIN SP (25 mi away) | 6.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 38,198 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 65% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $137,000 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, PA | 29 mi | under 1% | 42% |
| Elk County, PA | 31 mi | 0% | 52% |
| Cameron County, PA | 33 mi | 0% | 24% |
| Centre County, PA | 33 mi | 4% | 31% |
| Blair County, PA | 36 mi | 2% | 42% |
| Cambria County, PA | 36 mi | 0% | 60% |
| Indiana County, PA | 40 mi | 1% | 37% |
| Clinton County, PA | 47 mi | 1% | 35% |
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