Crowley County, Colorado
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 46% of Crowley County's mapped land, a higher share than 89% of US counties and the 2nd highest of 63 Colorado counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 69% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1963.
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 Crowley County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 45.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 1.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 47.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 44.5% |
| Mapped soil | 515,250 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Vonid | 16% | n/a |
| Ordway | 13% | n/a |
| Deertrail | 11% | n/a |
| Olney | 10% | n/a |
| Limon | 10% | n/a |
| Valent | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas CO025 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.9% by land area here, and 45% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 46% of the mapped land.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 8.89 in, 3.13 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 12.02 in.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 36 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 23 weeks, most recently on the September 29, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Crowley County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 12.02 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 8.89 in (-3.13) |
| 2025 | 10.92 in (-1.10) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1941: 22.68 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2002: 4.43 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ORDWAY 1 ENE (6 mi away) | 1.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,556 |
| Median year built | 1963 |
| Built before 1980 | 69% |
| Built 2000 or later | 6% |
| Owner-occupied | 70% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $116,200 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otero County, CO | 29 mi | 19% | 2% |
| Pueblo County, CO | 40 mi | 17% | 2% |
| Bent County, CO | 46 mi | 13% | 3% |
| Lincoln County, CO | 50 mi | 17% | 2% |
| El Paso County, CO | 54 mi | 6% | 1% |
| Kiowa County, CO | 55 mi | 10% | 1% |
| Las Animas County, CO | 70 mi | 27% | 1% |
| Elbert County, CO | 72 mi | 11% | 2% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status