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North Carolina Expansive Soil & Foundation Risk by County

100 counties mapped. On average, 4% of North Carolina county soil area is high shrink-swell clay (USDA SSURGO).

Higher percentages mean more of a county's mapped soil is shrink-swell clay that expands and contracts with moisture. This is county-scale exposure, not a diagnosis of any single home — but it tells you whether soil movement belongs on your radar.

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CountyTierHigh-risk %Moderate %
DurhamSevere42%13%
CaswellSevere32%24%
GuilfordHigh28%15%
GranvilleHigh27%21%
AlamanceHigh21%26%
CabarrusHigh21%21%
HertfordHigh20%35%
PersonHigh17%28%
MecklenburgHigh16%17%
OrangeHigh16%7%
DavidsonHigh16%12%
AnsonHigh15%30%
BertieModerate14%22%
ChathamModerate14%37%
RowanModerate13%17%
RandolphModerate12%29%
DavieModerate11%15%
CravenModerate9%11%
FranklinModerate8%10%
BeaufortModerate7%25%
New HanoverModerate6%2%
VanceModerate6%12%
JonesModerate6%9%
ColumbusModerate6%2%
WarrenModerate6%3%
LeeModerate5%24%
RichmondLow5%13%
PittLow4%18%
StanlyLow4%19%
MontgomeryLow4%19%
GastonLow3%27%
UnionLow3%49%
BrunswickLow2%0%
WashingtonLow2%22%
PamlicoLow2%7%
ForsythLow2%8%
LenoirLow2%2%
OnslowLow2%2%
RockinghamLow2%22%
NashLow2%6%
JohnstonLow1%8%
LincolnLow1%7%
PasquotankLow1%24%
YadkinLow1%9%
HalifaxLow1%18%
MooreLow1%8%
EdgecombeLow1%4%
BladenLow1%4%
IredellLow1%6%
PenderLow1%1%
WayneLow1%2%
ClevelandLow0%8%
HydeLow0%4%
StokesLow0%11%
NorthamptonLow0%41%
HendersonLow0%0%
RobesonLow0%2%
RutherfordLow0%6%
WakeLow0%23%
CamdenLow0%7%
CatawbaLow0%1%
GatesLow0%37%
HarnettLow0%2%
MartinLow0%23%
SurryLow0%5%
AlexanderLow0%2%
AlleghanyLow0%4%
AsheLow0%7%
AveryLow0%0%
BuncombeLow0%13%
BurkeLow0%2%
CaldwellLow0%2%
CarteretLow0%0%
CherokeeLow0%1%
ChowanLow0%19%
ClayLow0%2%
CumberlandLow0%5%
CurrituckLow0%12%
DareLow0%0%
DuplinLow0%0%
GrahamLow0%0%
GreeneLow0%1%
HokeLow0%1%
JacksonLow0%1%
McDowellLow0%1%
MaconLow0%1%
MadisonLow0%5%
MitchellLow0%5%
PerquimansLow0%26%
PolkLow0%5%
SampsonLow0%0%
ScotlandLow0%3%
TransylvaniaLow0%1%
TyrrellLow0%4%
WataugaLow0%0%
WilkesLow0%2%
WilsonLow0%8%
YanceyLow0%6%
SwainLow0%0%
HaywoodLow0%3%

Risk metrics are computed from USDA SSURGO soil survey data (linear extensibility of soil components, area-weighted by county). Soil varies lot to lot — this is county-scale context, not a substitute for a site-specific geotechnical or structural assessment.