Lincoln County, Arkansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 63% of Lincoln County's mapped land, a higher share than 77% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 31%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 9 flood losses here since 2016. 44% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1984.
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 Lincoln County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 31.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 63.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 72.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 31.6% |
| Mapped soil | 366,019 acres |
How we count · survey areas AR660 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.2% by land area here, and 32% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 31% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 31% of Lincoln County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 63% of Lincoln 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: 35.63 in, 17.97 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 53.60 in.
USDA rates 72% 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 | 100% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
9 flood losses since 2016, $544,053 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 53.60 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.63 in (-17.97) |
| 2025 | 44.64 in (-8.96) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2009: 77.69 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2010: 33.66 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at DUMAS (13 mi away) | 16.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,390 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 44% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $108,000 |
| Single-family detached | 65% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, AR | 25 mi | 36% | 65% |
| Drew County, AR | 26 mi | 15% | 81% |
| Cleveland County, AR | 26 mi | 8% | 78% |
| Desha County, AR | 30 mi | 55% | 70% |
| Arkansas County, AR | 31 mi | 21% | 77% |
| Bradley County, AR | 42 mi | 6% | 79% |
| Grant County, AR | 45 mi | 5% | 84% |
| Bolivar County, MS | 50 mi | 63% | 86% |
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