Frostline.info

Frost line depth in Queens County, New York

Frost reaches about 22 inches in typical soil across Queens County. Codes in this climate commonly set footing depth at 18 to 30 inches.

Moderate frost
Estimated frost depth
22″
typical silt/loam soil
Typical code footing depth
18–30″
rule of thumb for this climate
Design freezing index
497
°F-days, 100-year winter
ZIP codes covered
64
#62 of 62 counties in NY (1 = deepest)
22″ 0″12″24″36″48″ ground frozen
Est. frost (typical soil) Typical code footing depth Clay–sand range

Frost depth by soil type

Soil typeEst. frost depth
Sand / gravel (drains well)28″
Silt / loam (typical yard soil)22″
Clay (holds water)19″

County average. Methodology.

Verify before you dig. These are climate-based estimates. The legally required frost depth is the figure your building department publishes in its IRC Table R301.2 (climatic and geographic design criteria). Call the Queens County building or permitting office in New York and call 811 before digging.

Frost depth by ZIP code in Queens County

ZIPCityEst. frostCode range
11004Glen Oaks22″18–30″
11005Floral Park22″18–30″
11101Long Island City22″18–30″
11102Astoria21″18–30″
11103Astoria21″18–30″
11104Sunnyside22″18–30″
11105Astoria21″18–30″
11106Astoria21″18–30″
11109Long Island City22″18–30″
11351Flushing22″18–30″
11354Flushing22″18–30″
11355Flushing22″18–30″
11356College Point22″18–30″
11357Whitestone22″18–30″
11358Flushing22″18–30″
11359Bayside22″18–30″
11360Bayside22″18–30″
11361Bayside22″18–30″
11362Little Neck22″18–30″
11363Little Neck22″18–30″
11364Oakland Gardens22″18–30″
11365Fresh Meadows22″18–30″
11366Fresh Meadows22″18–30″
11367Flushing22″18–30″
11368Corona22″18–30″
11369East Elmhurst22″18–30″
11370East Elmhurst21″18–30″
11371Flushing22″18–30″
11372Jackson Heights22″18–30″
11373Elmhurst22″18–30″
11374Rego Park22″18–30″
11375Forest Hills22″18–30″
11377Woodside22″18–30″
11378Maspeth22″18–30″
11379Middle Village22″18–30″
11385Ridgewood22″18–30″
11411Cambria Heights22″18–30″
11412Saint Albans22″18–30″
11413Springfield Gardens22″18–30″
11414Howard Beach22″18–30″
11415Kew Gardens22″18–30″
11416Ozone Park22″18–30″
11417Ozone Park22″18–30″
11418Richmond Hill22″18–30″
11419South Richmond Hill22″18–30″
11420South Ozone Park22″18–30″
11421Woodhaven22″18–30″
11422Rosedale22″18–30″
11423Hollis22″18–30″
11426Bellerose22″18–30″
11427Queens Village22″18–30″
11428Queens Village22″18–30″
11429Queens Village22″18–30″
11430Jamaica22″18–30″
11432Jamaica22″18–30″
11433Jamaica22″18–30″
11434Jamaica22″18–30″
11435Jamaica22″18–30″
11436Jamaica22″18–30″
11691Far Rockaway22″18–30″
11692Arverne22″18–30″
11693Far Rockaway22″18–30″
11694Rockaway Park22″18–30″
11697Breezy Point23″18–30″

What this means for your project in Queens County

Deck footings & piers

Footings must bear below the frost line and at least 12″ below undisturbed ground. For planning in this area, budget for holes around 30″ deep until your permit office confirms the exact figure.

Fence posts

Set posts at least one-third of their above-ground height. Where frost heave is a problem, carry concrete footings below the frost line (about 22″ here in typical soil) and bell or taper the bottom.

Water & irrigation lines

Bury supply lines below the frost depth. Your water utility or plumbing code sets the minimum cover; add a margin below the estimate above for unusually cold winters.

Slabs & frost-protected foundations

Frost-protected shallow foundations (IRC R403.3) use the 100-year air freezing index — 497 °F-days here — to size perimeter insulation, letting footings sit shallower than the frost line.

Weather stations used

NOAA weather stationDistance100-yr AFI
New York Cntrl Pk, NY9 mi440
Mineola, NY10 mi496
Jersey City, NJ12 mi618
Newark, NJ18 mi533

Nearby counties

Common questions

What is the frost line depth in Queens County?

About 22 inches in typical soil, based on NOAA's 100-year air freezing index. Across the county's ZIP codes the estimate runs from 21 to 23 inches.

How deep should footings be in Queens County, New York?

Codes in climates like this commonly require 18 to 30 inches. The Queens County building department publishes the required frost depth in its adopted code (IRC Table R301.2).

Does frost depth vary within Queens County?

Very little. Estimates across the county stay within 2 inches. Soil type matters more than location here.