Greene County, Iowa
A shallow water table limits basements on 71% of Greene County's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 11%.
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. 76% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1954.
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 Greene County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 10.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 70.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 77.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.1% |
| Mapped soil | 366,300 acres |
How we count · survey areas IA073 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 71% of Greene 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: 31.86 in, 3.26 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 35.12 in.
USDA rates 78% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
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 5 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 1.6% of its area, in 3 weeks, most recently on the August 11, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| 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 Greene County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.12 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 31.86 in (-3.26) |
| 2025 | 37.81 in (+2.69) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2015: 48.51 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 20.28 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at JEFFERSON (2 mi away) | 8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,319 |
| Median year built | 1954 |
| Built before 1980 | 76% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $155,400 |
| Single-family detached | 83% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County, IA | 23 mi | 9% | 64% |
| Carroll County, IA | 25 mi | 18% | 41% |
| Guthrie County, IA | 25 mi | 62% | 66% |
| Calhoun County, IA | 27 mi | 13% | 91% |
| Webster County, IA | 29 mi | 27% | 88% |
| Dallas County, IA | 31 mi | 17% | 60% |
| Audubon County, IA | 37 mi | 30% | 29% |
| Hamilton County, IA | 42 mi | 32% | 91% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status