Hempstead County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 62% of Hempstead County's mapped land, a higher share than 76% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 47%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 5 flood losses here since 2016. 53% 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 Hempstead County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 47.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 62.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 87.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 39.7% |
| Mapped soil | 474,080 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Sacul | 14% | 93% |
| Guyton | 6% | n/a |
| Sawyer | 6% | n/a |
| Oktibbeha | 5% | n/a |
| Savannah | 5% | n/a |
| Kirvin | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AR057 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.0% by land area here, and 40% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 47% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 47% of Hempstead County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 62% of Hempstead 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: 41.71 in, 12.43 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 54.14 in.
USDA rates 87% 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 40 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 27 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
5 flood losses since 2016, $72,657 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 54.14 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 41.71 in (-12.43) |
| 2025 | 57.37 in (+3.23) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2009: 80.73 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1936: 29.24 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HOPE 3 NE (6 mi away) | 17 |
Homes
| Housing units | 9,642 |
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Built before 1980 | 53% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $105,700 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada County, AR | 21 mi | 19% | 71% |
| Pike County, AR | 29 mi | 17% | 23% |
| Howard County, AR | 30 mi | 21% | 31% |
| Miller County, AR | 33 mi | 43% | 70% |
| Little River County, AR | 33 mi | 36% | 60% |
| Lafayette County, AR | 34 mi | 49% | 61% |
| Clark County, AR | 36 mi | 24% | 55% |
| Sevier County, AR | 38 mi | 20% | 56% |
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