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Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
A shallow water table limits basements on 45% of Luzerne County's mapped land, a higher share than 62% 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 117 flood losses here since 2016, 80% of them in buildings with basements. 74% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1960.
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 Luzerne County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 45.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 90.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 580,525 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Oquaga | 16% | n/a |
| Wellsboro | 13% | n/a |
| Lordstown | 8% | n/a |
| Lackawanna | 7% | n/a |
| Morris | 5% | n/a |
| Arnot | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas PA079 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 45% of Luzerne 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: 40.22 in, 5.57 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.79 in.
USDA rates 91% 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 22 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 13 weeks, most recently on the March 3, 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
117 flood losses since 2016, $3.0 million paid. The worst year was 2021, with 48. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 80% basements, 13% slabs, 7% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 9 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 15 |
| 2018 | 18 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 48 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.79 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 40.22 in (-5.57) |
| 2025 | 39.88 in (-5.91) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 70.19 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1980: 29.55 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SHICKSHINNY 3 N (9 mi away) | 11.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 151,287 |
| Median year built | 1960 |
| Built before 1980 | 74% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 68% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $174,100 |
| Single-family detached | 64% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon County, PA | 23 mi | 0% | 35% |
| Columbia County, PA | 24 mi | 0% | 20% |
| Wyoming County, PA | 24 mi | 0% | 58% |
| Lackawanna County, PA | 26 mi | 0% | 53% |
| Sullivan County, PA | 33 mi | 0% | 53% |
| Monroe County, PA | 35 mi | 0% | 60% |
| Schuylkill County, PA | 35 mi | 0% | 30% |
| Montour County, PA | 37 mi | 1% | 36% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 3, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status