Wayne County, Iowa
A shallow water table limits basements on 80% of Wayne County's mapped land, a higher share than 88% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 77%.
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 1969.
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 Wayne County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 77.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 79.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 69.0% |
| Mapped soil | 337,100 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Seymour | 19% | n/a |
| Shelby | 11% | n/a |
| Clarinda | 11% | n/a |
| Gara | 8% | 5% |
| Edina | 7% | n/a |
| Zook | 7% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IA185 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.4% by land area here, and 69% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 77% of the mapped land.
On 80% of Wayne 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: 36.25 in, 1.86 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 38.11 in.
USDA rates 97% 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 100% of its area, on the March 3, 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 Wayne County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 38.11 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.25 in (-1.86) |
| 2025 | 32.27 in (-5.84) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2010: 54.80 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1988: 20.43 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CHARITON 1 E (19 mi away) | 10.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,019 |
| Median year built | 1969 |
| Built before 1980 | 69% |
| Built 2000 or later | 17% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $111,300 |
| Single-family detached | 84% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucas County, IA | 20 mi | 73% | 78% |
| Decatur County, IA | 24 mi | 66% | 76% |
| Appanoose County, IA | 24 mi | 69% | 78% |
| Putnam County, MO | 25 mi | 76% | 74% |
| Mercer County, MO | 25 mi | 79% | 62% |
| Clarke County, IA | 31 mi | 74% | 78% |
| Monroe County, IA | 31 mi | 72% | 77% |
| Sullivan County, MO | 38 mi | 82% | 61% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 9, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status