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McKean County, Pennsylvania
A shallow water table limits basements on 54% of McKean County's mapped land, a higher share than 70% 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 3 flood losses here since 2016. 78% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1953.
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 McKean County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 54.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 629,862 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Buchanan | 20% | n/a |
| Cookport | 18% | n/a |
| Hartleton | 16% | n/a |
| Hazleton | 15% | 0% |
| Leck Kill | 9% | n/a |
| Albrights | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas PA083 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 54% of McKean 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: 46.88 in, 0.89 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 45.99 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, 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
3 flood losses since 2016, $2,248 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.99 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 46.88 in (+0.89) |
| 2025 | 41.81 in (-4.18) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 55.95 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 32.67 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BRADFORD RGNL AP (4 mi away) | 7.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 19,465 |
| Median year built | 1953 |
| Built before 1980 | 78% |
| Built 2000 or later | 7% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $104,500 |
| 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 | 27 mi | 0% | 52% |
| Cattaraugus County, NY | 30 mi | 0% | 65% |
| Cameron County, PA | 32 mi | 0% | 24% |
| Potter County, PA | 35 mi | 0% | 37% |
| Warren County, PA | 37 mi | 0% | 67% |
| Forest County, PA | 41 mi | 0% | 59% |
| Allegany County, NY | 41 mi | 0% | 80% |
| Jefferson County, PA | 52 mi | under 1% | 42% |
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