Lucas County, Iowa
A shallow water table limits basements on 78% of Lucas County's mapped land, a higher share than 87% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 73%.
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. 75% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1962.
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 Lucas County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 72.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 77.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 66.5% |
| Mapped soil | 278,300 acres |
How we count · survey areas IA117 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.0% by land area here, and 66% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 73% of the mapped land.
On 78% of Lucas 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: 36.05 in, 1.19 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 37.24 in.
USDA rates 96% 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 89.3% of its area, in 5 weeks, most recently on the March 31, 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 Lucas County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 37.24 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.05 in (-1.19) |
| 2025 | 30.84 in (-6.40) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1902: 51.88 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 17.84 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CHARITON 1 E (3 mi away) | 10.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,074 |
| Median year built | 1962 |
| Built before 1980 | 75% |
| Built 2000 or later | 13% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $120,200 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County, IA | 20 mi | 77% | 80% |
| Clarke County, IA | 24 mi | 74% | 78% |
| Marion County, IA | 24 mi | 71% | 77% |
| Warren County, IA | 24 mi | 81% | 80% |
| Monroe County, IA | 24 mi | 72% | 77% |
| Appanoose County, IA | 31 mi | 69% | 78% |
| Decatur County, IA | 31 mi | 66% | 76% |
| Madison County, IA | 41 mi | 88% | 77% |
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