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Kitsap County, Washington
A shallow water table limits basements on 65% of Kitsap County's mapped land, a higher share than 78% of US counties and the 3rd highest of 39 Washington counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
78.8% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 93 flood losses here since 2016, 15% of them in buildings with basements. 40% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.
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 Kitsap County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 64.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 90.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.4% |
| Mapped soil | 245,514 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Alderwood | 17% | n/a |
| Harstine | 12% | n/a |
| Shelton | 10% | n/a |
| Poulsbo | 8% | n/a |
| Ragnar | 7% | n/a |
| Kapowsin | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas WA635 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 65% of Kitsap 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: 40.19 in, 6.76 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.95 in.
USDA rates 90% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
78.8% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 24 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 8 weeks, most recently on the December 9, 2025 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 78.8% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
93 flood losses since 2016, $2.2 million paid. The worst year was 2022, with 74. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 15% basements, 14% slabs, 57% crawl spaces, 14% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 10 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 74 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.95 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 40.19 in (-6.76) |
| 2025 | 37.20 in (-9.75) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1999: 60.81 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1929: 24.64 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BREMERTON (5 mi away) | 13.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 116,970 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 40% |
| Built 2000 or later | 26% |
| Owner-occupied | 70% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $555,100 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County, WA | 32 mi | under 1% | 45% |
| Island County, WA | 36 mi | 0% | 65% |
| King County, WA | 41 mi | under 1% | 38% |
| Jefferson County, WA | 42 mi | 1% | 39% |
| Pierce County, WA | 47 mi | 2% | 34% |
| Thurston County, WA | 49 mi | 3% | 34% |
| Snohomish County, WA | 50 mi | 1% | 72% |
| San Juan County, WA | 64 mi | 0% | 47% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 28, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status