Lawrence County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 62% of Lawrence County's mapped land, a higher share than 75% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 29%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 16 flood losses here since 2016. 55% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Lawrence County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 28.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 61.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 29.4% |
| Mapped soil | 378,374 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Jackport | 9% | n/a |
| Crowley | 7% | n/a |
| Foley | 7% | n/a |
| Captina | 6% | n/a |
| Boden | 6% | n/a |
| Agnos | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AR075 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.0% by land area here, and 29% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 29% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 29% of Lawrence County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 62% of Lawrence 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: 31.25 in, 18.77 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.02 in.
USDA rates 89% 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 52 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 | 33.8% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
16 flood losses since 2016, $494,408 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 11.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 11 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.02 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 31.25 in (-18.77) |
| 2025 | 50.01 in (-0.01) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1957: 67.66 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1901: 28.53 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BLACK ROCK (6 mi away) | 16.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,644 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 55% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 67% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $98,900 |
| Single-family detached | 78% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Randolph County, AR | 20 mi | 40% | 40% |
| Sharp County, AR | 24 mi | 48% | 4% |
| Greene County, AR | 30 mi | 21% | 77% |
| Craighead County, AR | 31 mi | 9% | 85% |
| Jackson County, AR | 32 mi | 27% | 72% |
| Independence County, AR | 34 mi | 18% | 30% |
| Poinsett County, AR | 41 mi | 27% | 90% |
| Ripley County, MO | 43 mi | 16% | 33% |
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