Pulaski County, Illinois
A shallow water table limits basements on 72% of Pulaski County's mapped land, a higher share than 83% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 10%.
5.2% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 8 flood losses here since 2016. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1969.
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 Pulaski County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 10.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 72.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 81.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 12.8% |
| Mapped soil | 130,080 acres |
How we count · survey areas IL153 (2025-09-01)
What the numbers mean here
On 72% of Pulaski 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: 43.74 in, 5.75 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.49 in.
USDA rates 82% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
5.2% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 16 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 9 weeks, most recently on the June 2, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 5.2% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
8 flood losses since 2016, $108,095 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.49 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.74 in (-5.75) |
| 2025 | 51.50 in (+2.01) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 71.20 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 30.66 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GRAND CHAIN DAM 53 (5 mi away) | 15.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,851 |
| Median year built | 1969 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 17% |
| Owner-occupied | 68% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $85,100 |
| Single-family detached | 65% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander County, IL | 12 mi | 19% | 48% |
| Ballard County, KY | 13 mi | 2% | 67% |
| Union County, IL | 20 mi | 10% | 49% |
| Johnson County, IL | 22 mi | 2% | 78% |
| Massac County, IL | 23 mi | 8% | 79% |
| McCracken County, KY | 25 mi | 6% | 73% |
| Carlisle County, KY | 26 mi | 3% | 72% |
| Scott County, MO | 27 mi | 16% | 58% |
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