Rhode Island: basement moisture and foundation risk by county
5 counties, ranked by our combined index. Highest combined risk is Kent County (42), lowest is Newport County (33). The worst soil for foundation cracks specifically is in Newport County.
| County | Index | Moisture | Cracks | Water table | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County | 42 | 44 | 23 | 66 | Glaciated New England upland |
| Washington County | 37 | 39 | 14 | 66 | Atlantic coastal plain |
| Providence County | 35 | 41 | 18 | 46 | Glaciated New England upland |
| Bristol County | 34 | 41 | 14 | 46 | Glaciated New England upland |
| Newport County | 33 | 40 | 25 | 30 | Glaciated New England upland |
Values from USDA NRCS SSURGO where available, otherwise our regional model — each county page states which. Methodology.
The physiographic regions inside Rhode Island
State lines are political; soil follows geology. These are the distinct ground types inside Rhode Island and why each behaves the way it does.
Glaciated New England upland
A hardpan under thin till creates a perched water table — water stands above an impermeable layer even though the regional water table is deep. It is the commonest cause of a wet basement in New England. Expansive clay is largely absent.
4 counties: Bristol County, Kent County, Newport County, Providence County
Atlantic coastal plain
Extremely variable over short distances: sand and saturated clay side by side. A county figure means less here than anywhere else we cover — the individual parcel decides.
1 counties: Washington County
Page data updated