Harford County, MD Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Harford County, MD

Low

Soil across 87.6% of Harford County, MD comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 1.81% linear extensibility. That's as favorable a county-level reading as this dataset produces - standard foundation practice, pending one lot's own geotechnical report.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Harford County, MD - never a reading for one specific parcel. A site-specific soil report, usually $1,000-$5,000, is what an engineer would actually pull before designing a foundation on a lot in Harford County.

Harford County: the real numbers

Harford County's soil reading points toward standard foundation practice as the likely outcome, not the exception. A geotechnical report runs $1,000-$5,000, typically around $2,700. Foundation repair, if a specific lot turns out to differ from the county average, runs $5,000-$15,000.

Harford County's rank among Maryland counties

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Harford County, MD ranks 2,156 most-constrained nationally, and 5 of 24 within Maryland. The county spans 437 square miles, home to 265,514 people.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. James City County, VA and Rockingham County, NH are worth a look for comparison.

How this reading is built, and its real limits · Moisture management: the cheap fix that works on any soil

Elsewhere in Maryland

Every county in Maryland is on this site, including Frederick County, MD and Calvert County, MD. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.