Drew County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 81% of Drew County's mapped land, a higher share than 89% of US counties and the 9th highest of 75 Arkansas counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 15%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 8 flood losses here since 2016. 42% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1985.
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 Drew County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 14.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 81.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 84.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 23.0% |
| Mapped soil | 534,848 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Amy | 14% | n/a |
| Grenada | 11% | n/a |
| Calloway | 9% | n/a |
| Tippah | 8% | n/a |
| Perry | 7% | 91% |
| Henry | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AR043 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 81% of Drew 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: 35.17 in, 19.68 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 54.85 in.
USDA rates 84% 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 43 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 | 15.7% |
Flood losses since 2016
8 flood losses since 2016, $250,388 paid. The worst year was 2021, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 54.85 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.17 in (-19.68) |
| 2025 | 48.45 in (-6.40) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1991: 75.80 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1943: 33.80 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MONTICELLO MUNI AP (4 mi away) | 17.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,289 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 26% |
| Owner-occupied | 64% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $140,800 |
| Single-family detached | 57% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County, AR | 26 mi | 31% | 63% |
| Bradley County, AR | 27 mi | 6% | 79% |
| Ashley County, AR | 28 mi | 11% | 80% |
| Desha County, AR | 32 mi | 55% | 70% |
| Chicot County, AR | 33 mi | 51% | 72% |
| Cleveland County, AR | 34 mi | 8% | 78% |
| Calhoun County, AR | 46 mi | 3% | 83% |
| Jefferson County, AR | 49 mi | 36% | 65% |
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