Chicot County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 72% of Chicot County's mapped land, a higher share than 83% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 51%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 44 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 51% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1979.
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 Chicot County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 50.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 72.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 73.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 11.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 53.5% |
| Mapped soil | 442,118 acres |
How we count · survey areas AR017 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 11.6% by land area here, and 53% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 51% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 51% of Chicot County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 72% of Chicot 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: 35.74 in, 20.44 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 56.18 in.
USDA rates 74% 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 23 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 | 23.6% |
Flood losses since 2016
44 flood losses since 2016, $1.1 million paid. The worst year was 2016, with 23. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 90% slabs, 5% crawl spaces, 5% elevated.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 23 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 56.18 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.74 in (-20.44) |
| 2025 | 56.62 in (+0.44) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1974: 74.06 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2010: 31.94 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at EUDORA (11 mi away) | 19.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,108 |
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Built before 1980 | 51% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 69% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $89,100 |
| Single-family detached | 73% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, MS | 21 mi | 65% | 88% |
| Ashley County, AR | 28 mi | 11% | 80% |
| Drew County, AR | 33 mi | 15% | 81% |
| West Carroll Parish, LA | 34 mi | 13% | 93% |
| East Carroll Parish, LA | 38 mi | 56% | 83% |
| Sharkey County, MS | 38 mi | 79% | 96% |
| Desha County, AR | 39 mi | 55% | 70% |
| Issaquena County, MS | 40 mi | 69% | 84% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 10, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status