Cayuga County, NY Frost Line Depth: 48 in

Verified

48in

122 cm · 4 ft

Set in the building code Cayuga County has adopted.

Source and how we checked

Document: cayugacounty.gov

Climate: 142 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Auburn, 5.4 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Footings Deck Water line Fence post

142nights a year at or below 32 °F
97%of nearby soil rated “moderate” for frost action (USDA)

How deep is the frost line in Cayuga County?

Cayuga County's building authority sets the frost line depth at 48 in (122 cm). Footings, piers and other permanent supports must reach at least this depth (IRC R403.1.4.1).

Who sets the frost line depth in Cayuga County?

New York leaves the frost line depth to each city or county, and Cayuga County fills it in when it adopts the residential code. The value above comes from Cayuga County’s own document on cayugacounty.gov. See how New York sets frost line depth.

How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Cayuga County?

House or garage footing Deck footing Water service line Fence post

House or garage footing in Cayuga County: dig at least 48 in (122 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Minimum depths in Cayuga County with a 48 in frost line
Project	Depth	Rule
House or garage footing	48 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)	48 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line	54 in	6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom	48 in	No code rule; common practice is below the frost line

Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.

How cold does it get in Cayuga County?

Average lows are at or below freezing from Nov to Mar. 142 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 15.4 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Auburn station, 5.4 mi away, elevation 770 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table

°F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low	15.4	16	22.7	34	45.2	55.4	60.4	58.5	51.5	41.2	31.6	23.1
High	31.3	33.4	41.6	55.2	68.6	76.9	81.1	79.7	72.4	59.4	47.5	36.8

Cayuga County has more freezing nights than 35 of the 67 other New York places we track. The New York median is 141. Coldest: Franklin County; mildest: Kings County.

How likely is the soil in Cayuga County to heave?

Moderate 97%

USDA rates the sampled soil around Cayuga County as 97% moderate, 3% high for frost action (main soils: Ontario, Cazenovia, Palmyra).

USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.

How do you confirm the frost line before you dig in Cayuga County?

Call 811 (Dig Safely New York) at least a few working days before you dig, so buried lines are marked.
Confirm the frost line depth with the Cayuga County building department.
Ask whether your project needs a permit (decks, larger sheds and footings usually do).
Dig below 48 in unless the building department tells you otherwise.
Book the footing inspection before you pour concrete.

Cayuga County at a glance

Frost line depth: 48 in
Population (2023 est.): 74,485
Mean annual temperature: 47.4 °F
ZIP codes (26): 13021 · 13024 · 13026 · 13027 · 13033 · 13034 · 13045 · 13071 · 13073 · 13074 · 13077 · 13080 · 13081 · 13092 · 13111 · 13113 · 13117 · 13118 · 13126 · 13140 · 13143 · 13147 · 13152 · 13156 · 13160 · 13166