Bradley County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 79% of Bradley County's mapped land, a higher share than 88% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 15 flood losses here since 2016. 57% 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 Bradley County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 6.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 78.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.4% |
| Mapped soil | 419,098 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Amy | 18% | n/a |
| Bibb | 17% | n/a |
| Savannah | 8% | n/a |
| Saffell | 5% | n/a |
| Chastain | 5% | n/a |
| Wilcox | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AR011 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 79% of Bradley 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: 34.01 in, 21.60 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 55.61 in.
USDA rates 86% 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 42 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 | 12.3% |
Flood losses since 2016
15 flood losses since 2016, $949,544 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 7.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 55.61 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.01 in (-21.60) |
| 2025 | 49.38 in (-6.23) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2009: 79.40 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2010: 34.12 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CALION L&D (21 mi away) | 16.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,060 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 57% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 66% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $94,800 |
| Single-family detached | 68% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County, AR | 21 mi | 3% | 83% |
| Drew County, AR | 27 mi | 15% | 81% |
| Cleveland County, AR | 30 mi | 8% | 78% |
| Ashley County, AR | 30 mi | 11% | 80% |
| Union County, AR | 32 mi | 15% | 74% |
| Ouachita County, AR | 42 mi | 9% | 45% |
| Lincoln County, AR | 42 mi | 31% | 63% |
| Dallas County, AR | 44 mi | 10% | 66% |
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