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Bristol County, Rhode Island
A shallow water table limits basements on 38% of Bristol County's mapped land, a higher share than 57% of US counties and the 3rd highest of 5 Rhode Island 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 75 flood losses here since 2016, 70% of them in buildings with basements. 76% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1957.
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 Bristol County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 38.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 52.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.9% |
| Urban land, not rated | 5.9% |
| Mapped soil | 28,669 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Merrimac | 7% | n/a |
| Pittstown | 7% | n/a |
| Newport | 6% | n/a |
| Stissing | 3% | n/a |
| Sudbury | 2% | n/a |
| Canton | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas RI600 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 38% of Bristol 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: 43.37 in, 5.38 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.75 in.
USDA rates 52% 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 11 weeks, most recently on the July 28, 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
75 flood losses since 2016, $1.0 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 21. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 70% basements, 12% slabs, 12% crawl spaces, 6% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 9 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 21 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 19 |
| 2022 | 18 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 7 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.75 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.37 in (-5.38) |
| 2025 | 45.39 in (-3.36) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1983: 65.10 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1965: 26.58 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PROVIDENCE T F GREEN AP (8 mi away) | 12.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 21,615 |
| Median year built | 1957 |
| Built before 1980 | 76% |
| Built 2000 or later | 8% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $513,800 |
| Single-family detached | 67% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol County, MA | 11 mi | 0% | 63% |
| Newport County, RI | 14 mi | 0% | 66% |
| Kent County, RI | 15 mi | 0% | 34% |
| Providence County, RI | 19 mi | 0% | 42% |
| Washington County, RI | 28 mi | 0% | 38% |
| Norfolk County, MA | 33 mi | 0% | 34% |
| Plymouth County, MA | 34 mi | 0% | 51% |
| Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 37 mi | 0% | 52% |
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