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Vermont soil by county

Across Vermont's mapped land, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1% and a shallow water table limits basements on 42%.

Highest clay shares: Grand Isle County (21%), Addison County (5%), Chittenden County (3%), Rutland County (2%), Franklin County (1%). Highest water-table shares: Essex County (71%), Grand Isle County (65%), Orleans County (59%), Addison County (53%), Franklin County (52%).

Data as of September 22, 2026 · 14 counties

Addison County: 5%Bennington County: 0%Caledonia County: 0%Chittenden County: 3%Essex County: 0%Franklin County: 1%Grand Isle County: 21%Lamoille County: 0%Orange County: 0%Orleans County: 0%Rutland County: 2%Washington County: 0%Windham County: 0%Windsor County: 0%
Expansive clay: share of mapped land where shrink-swell clay limits houses without basementsunder 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+
Addison County: 53%Bennington County: 32%Caledonia County: 49%Chittenden County: 39%Essex County: 71%Franklin County: 52%Grand Isle County: 65%Lamoille County: 24%Orange County: 36%Orleans County: 59%Rutland County: 37%Washington County: 35%Windham County: 29%Windsor County: 27%
High water table: share of mapped land where a shallow water table limits basementsunder 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

Every county in Vermont

Select a column heading to sort.
Addison County 5% 53% 0% 15 1977
Bennington County 0% 32% 0% 28 1972
Caledonia County 0% 49% 99% 70 1973
Chittenden County 3% 39% 0% 71 1981
Essex County 0% 71% 50% 0 1973
Franklin County 1% 52% 0% 12 1979
Grand Isle County 21% 65% 0% 2 1984
Lamoille County 0% 24% 1% 78 1982
Orange County 0% 36% 82% 25 1978
Orleans County 0% 59% 75% 29 1978
Rutland County 2% 37% 0% 69 1969
Washington County 0% 35% 34% 466 1973
Windham County 0% 29% 0% 47 1974
Windsor County 0% 27% 0% 159 1973

How these shares are counted

Shares are of mapped land in USDA's soil survey (SSURGO), weighted by each soil's share of every map unit. Drought is the US Drought Monitor's D1-or-worse share on the September 22, 2026 map. Flood losses are FEMA NFIP records since 2016. Sources and methods.