Clark County, Kansas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 18% of Clark County's mapped land, a higher share than 68% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 4%.
100% 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. 82% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1946.
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 Clark County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 18.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 3.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 69.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 18.3% |
| Mapped soil | 621,885 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Harney | 13% | 100% |
| Penden | 13% | n/a |
| Carey | 6% | n/a |
| Woodward | 6% | n/a |
| Quinlan | 6% | n/a |
| Kingsdown | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KS025 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.3% by land area here, and 18% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 18% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 18% of Clark County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 18.04 in, 5.00 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 23.04 in.
USDA rates 69% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 34 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 31 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 29.1% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Clark County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 23.04 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 18.04 in (-5.00) |
| 2025 | 28.40 in (+5.36) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1949: 37.47 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 10.97 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ASHLAND (4 mi away) | 6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,039 |
| Median year built | 1946 |
| Built before 1980 | 82% |
| Built 2000 or later | 6% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $87,600 |
| Single-family detached | 94% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meade County, KS | 30 mi | 35% | 6% |
| Harper County, OK | 31 mi | 3% | 2% |
| Comanche County, KS | 31 mi | 5% | 4% |
| Ford County, KS | 32 mi | 56% | 5% |
| Kiowa County, KS | 37 mi | 21% | 4% |
| Gray County, KS | 50 mi | 42% | 7% |
| Beaver County, OK | 50 mi | 6% | 7% |
| Edwards County, KS | 53 mi | 25% | 15% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 27, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status