Cloud County, Kansas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 59% of Cloud County's mapped land, a higher share than 94% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016. 83% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1953.
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 Cloud County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 58.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 1.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 57.2% |
| Mapped soil | 459,641 acres |
How we count · survey areas KS029 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.5% by land area here, and 57% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 59% of the mapped land.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 27.35 in, 2.54 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 29.89 in.
USDA rates 85% 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 8 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 35.4% of its area, on the April 21, 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
2 flood losses since 2016, $35,000 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 29.89 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 27.35 in (-2.54) |
| 2025 | 24.65 in (-5.24) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1951: 47.52 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1956: 14.92 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CONCORDIA MUNI AP (4 mi away) | 7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,467 |
| Median year built | 1953 |
| Built before 1980 | 83% |
| Built 2000 or later | 7% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $100,000 |
| Single-family detached | 88% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republic County, KS | 24 mi | 69% | 3% |
| Ottawa County, KS | 24 mi | 67% | 3% |
| Clay County, KS | 27 mi | 67% | 2% |
| Mitchell County, KS | 31 mi | 58% | 1% |
| Washington County, KS | 35 mi | 67% | 6% |
| Jewell County, KS | 37 mi | 50% | 2% |
| Lincoln County, KS | 43 mi | 47% | 1% |
| Thayer County, NE | 47 mi | 68% | 6% |
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