McKinley County, NM Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in McKinley County, NM

Moderate

Soil across 51.7% of McKinley County, NM comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 4.08% linear extensibility. That's a middle reading: not the sharp swings that crack a foundation outright, but enough that grading and drainage are worth getting right.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in McKinley County, NM - 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 McKinley County.

McKinley County: the real numbers

McKinley 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.

How McKinley County, NM compares

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, McKinley County, NM ranks 529 most-constrained nationally, and 4 of 32 within New Mexico. McKinley County, NM is 5,451 square miles with a population of 68,945.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Wilbarger County, TX and Preston County, WV 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 New Mexico

Every county in New Mexico is on this site, including Cibola County, NM and Hidalgo County, NM. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.