Massac County, Illinois
A shallow water table limits basements on 79% of Massac County's mapped land, a higher share than 88% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 8%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 16 flood losses here since 2016. 57% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1975.
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 Massac County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 78.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 9.7% |
| Mapped soil | 154,710 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hosmer | 30% | over 99% |
| Belknap | 10% | n/a |
| Bonnie | 5% | n/a |
| Alford | 5% | n/a |
| Ginat | 5% | n/a |
| Cape | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IL127 (2025-08-31)
What the numbers mean here
On 79% of Massac 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: 46.54 in, 3.43 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.97 in.
USDA rates 94% 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 14 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 8 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 65.1% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
16 flood losses since 2016, $683,541 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 8.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 2 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.97 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 46.54 in (-3.43) |
| 2025 | 53.59 in (+3.62) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 71.73 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 30.34 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PADUCAH (11 mi away) | 14.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 6,822 |
| Median year built | 1975 |
| Built before 1980 | 57% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $121,900 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| McCracken County, KY | 11 mi | 6% | 73% |
| Pope County, IL | 17 mi | 2% | 67% |
| Livingston County, KY | 19 mi | 3% | 49% |
| Johnson County, IL | 20 mi | 2% | 78% |
| Ballard County, KY | 20 mi | 2% | 67% |
| Pulaski County, IL | 23 mi | 10% | 72% |
| Carlisle County, KY | 29 mi | 3% | 72% |
| Marshall County, KY | 31 mi | 1% | 57% |
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