Pope County, Illinois
A shallow water table limits basements on 67% of Pope County's mapped land, a higher share than 80% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
9.1% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, up from 0% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 42% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.
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 Pope County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 67.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 90.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.3% |
| Mapped soil | 239,765 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Grantsburg | 30% | n/a |
| Wellston | 12% | under 1% |
| Zanesville | 12% | 97% |
| Hosmer | 9% | over 99% |
| Berks | 6% | under 1% |
| Belknap | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IL151 (2025-09-01)
What the numbers mean here
On 67% of Pope 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: 43.07 in, 6.87 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.94 in.
USDA rates 91% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
9.1% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 15 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 3 weeks, most recently on the April 21, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 85.6% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 9.1% |
| 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 Pope County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.94 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.07 in (-6.87) |
| 2025 | 50.67 in (+0.73) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1950: 70.29 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 31.27 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ROSICLARE 5NW (8 mi away) | 14 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,225 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 26% |
| Owner-occupied | 86% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $143,800 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massac County, IL | 17 mi | 8% | 79% |
| Hardin County, IL | 17 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Livingston County, KY | 17 mi | 3% | 49% |
| Johnson County, IL | 19 mi | 2% | 78% |
| Saline County, IL | 23 mi | 20% | 86% |
| Crittenden County, KY | 24 mi | 1% | 54% |
| McCracken County, KY | 27 mi | 6% | 73% |
| Gallatin County, IL | 30 mi | 31% | 67% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 1, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status