Grant County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 84% of Grant County's mapped land, a higher share than 91% of US counties and the 4th highest of 75 Arkansas counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 6 flood losses here since 2016. 31% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1991.
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 Grant County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 5.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 84.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 19.1% |
| Mapped soil | 405,401 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Sacul | 17% | 93% |
| Stough | 11% | n/a |
| Guyton | 11% | n/a |
| Warnock | 10% | n/a |
| Smithton | 9% | n/a |
| Sawyer | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AR053 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 84% of Grant 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: 39.01 in, 15.74 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 54.75 in.
USDA rates 90% 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 39 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 | 5.3% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
6 flood losses since 2016, $91,043 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 54.75 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.01 in (-15.74) |
| 2025 | 52.39 in (-2.36) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2009: 88.44 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1936: 33.74 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SHERIDAN (2 mi away) | 19.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,957 |
| Median year built | 1991 |
| Built before 1980 | 31% |
| Built 2000 or later | 34% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $161,700 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County, AR | 26 mi | 10% | 66% |
| Jefferson County, AR | 28 mi | 36% | 65% |
| Saline County, AR | 29 mi | 34% | 24% |
| Hot Spring County, AR | 30 mi | 14% | 35% |
| Cleveland County, AR | 30 mi | 8% | 78% |
| Pulaski County, AR | 34 mi | 23% | 32% |
| Lonoke County, AR | 44 mi | 22% | 80% |
| Lincoln County, AR | 45 mi | 31% | 63% |
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