Ashley County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 80% of Ashley County's mapped land, a higher share than 88% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 11%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 23 flood losses here since 2016. 56% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, October 13, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Ashley County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 11.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 79.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 77.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 12.3% |
| Mapped soil | 601,325 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Calloway | 15% | n/a |
| Grenada | 10% | n/a |
| Guyton | 9% | n/a |
| Perry | 7% | 91% |
| Rilla | 7% | n/a |
| Arkabutla | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AR003 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 80% of Ashley County's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 36.65 in, 19.34 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 55.99 in.
USDA rates 77% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 52 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 28 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 100% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
23 flood losses since 2016, $600,693 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 13.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 13 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 55.99 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.65 in (-19.34) |
| 2025 | 56.04 in (+0.05) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1991: 79.77 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2010: 33.98 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CROSSETT 2 SSE (12 mi away) | 18.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 9,392 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 56% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $91,900 |
| Single-family detached | 69% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morehouse Parish, LA | 26 mi | 30% | 79% |
| Drew County, AR | 28 mi | 15% | 81% |
| Chicot County, AR | 28 mi | 51% | 72% |
| Bradley County, AR | 30 mi | 6% | 79% |
| West Carroll Parish, LA | 33 mi | 13% | 93% |
| Union Parish, LA | 43 mi | 10% | 48% |
| East Carroll Parish, LA | 45 mi | 56% | 83% |
| Union County, AR | 48 mi | 15% | 74% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 9, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status