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California Expansive Soil & Foundation Risk by County

41 counties mapped. On average, 22% of California county soil area is high shrink-swell clay (USDA SSURGO).

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CountyTierHigh-risk %Moderate %
ColusaSevere53%18%
SolanoSevere51%16%
ModocSevere49%17%
YoloSevere48%22%
Contra CostaSevere46%21%
ImperialSevere44%16%
SutterSevere43%20%
AlamedaSevere37%3%
SacramentoSevere36%20%
KingsSevere35%23%
MercedSevere34%28%
GlennSevere34%18%
San JoaquinSevere32%24%
FresnoSevere30%38%
StanislausHigh26%28%
SonomaHigh24%46%
MarinHigh22%10%
YubaHigh22%34%
Santa BarbaraHigh21%17%
San BenitoHigh19%30%
TehamaHigh17%24%
San Luis ObispoHigh17%28%
TulareHigh16%30%
PlacerModerate15%21%
SiskiyouModerate14%22%
San DiegoModerate14%15%
MontereyModerate14%20%
NapaModerate13%35%
ShastaModerate11%30%
HumboldtModerate10%33%
Santa CruzModerate10%40%
KernModerate9%28%
LakeModerate9%27%
Los AngelesModerate8%14%
MariposaModerate6%28%
NevadaLow5%48%
TrinityLow3%8%
MendocinoLow2%45%
RiversideLow2%2%
San BernardinoLow1%18%
InyoLow0%2%

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.