Livingston County, Illinois
A shallow water table limits basements on 96% of Livingston County's mapped land, a higher share than 99% of US counties and the 3rd highest of 102 Illinois counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 53%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 10 flood losses here since 2016. 75% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1961.
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 Livingston County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 53.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 96.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 47.0% |
| Mapped soil | 669,620 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Ashkum | 17% | n/a |
| Bryce | 12% | n/a |
| Swygert | 8% | n/a |
| Chenoa | 6% | n/a |
| Elliott | 5% | n/a |
| Reddick | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IL105 (2025-08-31)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.9% by land area here, and 47% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 53% of the mapped land.
On 96% of Livingston 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: 37.31 in, 0.63 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 37.94 in.
USDA rates 99% 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 26 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 weeks, most recently on the January 6, 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
10 flood losses since 2016, $81,439 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 8.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 37.94 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.31 in (-0.63) |
| 2025 | 30.28 in (-7.66) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 51.50 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 22.84 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PONTIAC (5 mi away) | 8.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 15,930 |
| Median year built | 1961 |
| Built before 1980 | 75% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $142,200 |
| Single-family detached | 78% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford County, IL | 27 mi | 55% | 98% |
| Grundy County, IL | 29 mi | 30% | 85% |
| McLean County, IL | 32 mi | 54% | 85% |
| Woodford County, IL | 35 mi | 49% | 81% |
| LaSalle County, IL | 36 mi | 37% | 84% |
| Iroquois County, IL | 39 mi | 44% | 93% |
| Kankakee County, IL | 40 mi | 19% | 80% |
| Marshall County, IL | 42 mi | 36% | 66% |
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