Pike County, Illinois
A shallow water table limits basements on 56% of Pike County's mapped land, a higher share than 71% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 9%.
37.4% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 12 flood losses here since 2016. 76% 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 Pike County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 9.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 55.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 75.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.1% |
| Mapped soil | 543,955 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Menfro | 16% | 0% |
| Winfield | 15% | n/a |
| Wakeland | 6% | n/a |
| Beaucoup | 5% | n/a |
| Stookey | 5% | n/a |
| Downsouth | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IL149 (2025-08-31)
What the numbers mean here
On 56% of Pike 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: 32.92 in, 6.00 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 38.92 in.
USDA rates 75% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
37.4% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 27 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 15 weeks, most recently on the March 10, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 84.3% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 37.4% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
12 flood losses since 2016, $249,210 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 11.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 11 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 38.92 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 32.92 in (-6.00) |
| 2025 | 28.91 in (-10.01) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1970: 54.57 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1953: 22.64 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PITTSFIELD #2 (5 mi away) | 10.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,273 |
| Median year built | 1961 |
| Built before 1980 | 76% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $101,400 |
| Single-family detached | 83% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott County, IL | 22 mi | 27% | 47% |
| Brown County, IL | 24 mi | 29% | 38% |
| Pike County, MO | 25 mi | 45% | 69% |
| Adams County, IL | 30 mi | 36% | 70% |
| Greene County, IL | 33 mi | 20% | 51% |
| Calhoun County, IL | 34 mi | 4% | 25% |
| Ralls County, MO | 34 mi | 56% | 75% |
| Morgan County, IL | 37 mi | 43% | 54% |
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