Custer County, Colorado
USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 2% of Custer County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 7%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 100% 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. 32% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1992.
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 Custer County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 6.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 80.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.9% |
| Mapped soil | 481,211 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Coutis | 5% | n/a |
| Rogert | 5% | n/a |
| Feltonia | 4% | n/a |
| Norriston | 3% | n/a |
| Woodhall | 3% | n/a |
| Redfeather | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas CO626 (2025-08-29), CO634 (2025-08-29), CO635 (2025-08-29), CO636 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 13.31 in, 6.31 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 19.62 in.
USDA rates 81% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
With shrink-swell clay on 2% and a shallow water table on 7% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Custer County; conditions still vary lot by lot.
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 29 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 | 30.8% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Custer County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 19.62 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 13.31 in (-6.31) |
| 2025 | 17.71 in (-1.91) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1957: 31.58 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2002: 11.01 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WESTCLIFFE (5 mi away) | 1.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,631 |
| Median year built | 1992 |
| Built before 1980 | 32% |
| Built 2000 or later | 38% |
| Owner-occupied | 85% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $392,100 |
| Single-family detached | 87% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont County, CO | 25 mi | 5% | 2% |
| Huerfano County, CO | 36 mi | 13% | 2% |
| Alamosa County, CO | 43 mi | 2% | 36% |
| Saguache County, CO | 47 mi | 4% | 15% |
| Pueblo County, CO | 48 mi | 17% | 2% |
| Teller County, CO | 55 mi | 2% | 4% |
| Costilla County, CO | 57 mi | under 1% | 4% |
| Chaffee County, CO | 66 mi | 1% | 5% |
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