Cumberland County, Illinois
A shallow water table limits basements on 84% of Cumberland County's mapped land, a higher share than 91% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 39%.
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. 63% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1970.
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 Cumberland County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 38.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 83.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 55.8% |
| Mapped soil | 221,620 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Wynoose | 19% | n/a |
| Bluford | 16% | 100% |
| Cisne | 8% | n/a |
| Hickory | 7% | n/a |
| Ava | 6% | n/a |
| Newberry | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IL035 (2025-08-31)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.5% by land area here, and 56% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 39% of the mapped land.
On 84% of Cumberland 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: 43.65 in, 0.35 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 43.30 in.
USDA rates 95% 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 22 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 21 weeks, most recently on the March 10, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 99.8% |
| 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 Cumberland County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.30 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.65 in (+0.35) |
| 2025 | 35.90 in (-7.40) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 56.31 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1914: 27.02 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CASEY (14 mi away) | 12.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,726 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 63% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 84% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $126,000 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coles County, IL | 17 mi | 19% | 85% |
| Jasper County, IL | 19 mi | 51% | 89% |
| Clark County, IL | 24 mi | 29% | 77% |
| Effingham County, IL | 24 mi | 43% | 87% |
| Shelby County, IL | 31 mi | 38% | 82% |
| Crawford County, IL | 32 mi | 43% | 81% |
| Moultrie County, IL | 32 mi | 68% | 89% |
| Douglas County, IL | 34 mi | 72% | 96% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 31, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status