Schuyler County, Illinois
A shallow water table limits basements on 46% of Schuyler County's mapped land, a higher share than 63% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 31%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 69% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1971.
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 Schuyler County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 30.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 46.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 69.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 29.8% |
| Mapped soil | 281,920 acres |
How we count · survey areas IL169 (2025-08-31)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.5% by land area here, and 30% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 31% of the mapped land.
On 46% of Schuyler 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: 36.69 in, 2.21 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 38.90 in.
USDA rates 69% 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 25 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 24 weeks, most recently on the March 31, 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
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Schuyler County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 38.90 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.69 in (-2.21) |
| 2025 | 29.45 in (-9.45) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1973: 53.89 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1901: 23.12 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RUSHVILLE (4 mi away) | 11.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,306 |
| Median year built | 1971 |
| Built before 1980 | 69% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $109,700 |
| Single-family detached | 81% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County, IL | 15 mi | 29% | 38% |
| McDonough County, IL | 21 mi | 63% | 70% |
| Cass County, IL | 23 mi | 13% | 45% |
| Fulton County, IL | 30 mi | 24% | 38% |
| Adams County, IL | 33 mi | 36% | 70% |
| Hancock County, IL | 34 mi | 48% | 72% |
| Scott County, IL | 37 mi | 27% | 47% |
| 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