Northampton County, PA Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Northampton County, PA

Low

Soil across 76.9% of Northampton County, PA comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 1.87% linear extensibility. That's the easiest starting point on this site's scale - a standard foundation is the reasonable default here, though any one lot can still differ.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

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

Northampton County: the real numbers

Northampton 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.

Where this sits nationally

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Northampton County, PA ranks 2,102 most-constrained nationally, and 9 of 67 within Pennsylvania. Northampton County covers 370 square miles and counts 322,989 residents.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Camden County, GA and Tangipahoa Parish, LA 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 Pennsylvania

Every county in Pennsylvania is on this site, including Lebanon County, PA and Cameron County, PA. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.