Lee County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 81% of Lee County's mapped land, a higher share than 89% of US counties and the 10th highest of 75 Arkansas counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 21%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 31 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1973.
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 Lee County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 20.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 81.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 25.6% |
| Mapped soil | 399,258 acres |
How we count · survey areas AR077 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.2% by land area here, and 26% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 21% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 21% of Lee County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 81% of Lee 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: 38.56 in, 13.65 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.21 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 26 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 | 66.2% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
31 flood losses since 2016, $1.0 million paid. The worst year was 2022, with 12. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 100% slabs.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.21 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 38.56 in (-13.65) |
| 2025 | 54.17 in (+1.96) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 75.67 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2005: 35.56 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MARIANNA 2 S (3 mi away) | 16.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,694 |
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 59% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $75,300 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Francis County, AR | 17 mi | 32% | 83% |
| Phillips County, AR | 25 mi | 28% | 78% |
| Tunica County, MS | 25 mi | 68% | 81% |
| Monroe County, AR | 25 mi | 29% | 81% |
| Cross County, AR | 35 mi | 34% | 87% |
| Woodruff County, AR | 39 mi | 25% | 72% |
| Coahoma County, MS | 39 mi | 48% | 75% |
| Crittenden County, AR | 40 mi | 62% | 77% |
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