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Dickinson County, Kansas

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 81% of Dickinson County's mapped land, a higher share than 99% of US counties and the 3rd highest of 105 Kansas counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 3%.

None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 3 flood losses here since 2016. 77% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1956.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

81%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

3%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

77%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Dickinson County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)80.8%
High water table (limits basements)3.1%
Septic fields very limited94.0%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)7.1%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)74.4%
Mapped soil545,548 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Irwin40%n/a
Crete15%100%
Clime9%n/a
Hobbs7%n/a
Geary5%n/a
Muir4%n/a
Geary County: 71%Saline County: 52%Morris County: 82%Ottawa County: 67%Clay County: 67%Marion County: 80%Riley County: 76%McPherson County: 72%Dickinson County GearySalineMorrisOttawaClayMarionRileyMcPhersonDickinson
Dickinson County (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by expansive clay share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas KS041 (2025-08-26)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.1% by land area here, and 74% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 81% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 36.19 in, 3.24 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 32.95 in.

USDA rates 94% 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 6 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 23.6% of its area, on the April 21, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse0%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

3 flood losses since 2016, $21,273 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 3.

YearFlood losses
20160
20170
20180
20193
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202032.95 in
12 months to August 202636.19 in (+3.24)
202531.00 in (-1.95)
Wettest year since 18951951: 53.29 in
Driest year since 18951966: 16.38 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ABILENE (5 mi away)10.2

Homes

Housing units8,789
Median year built1956
Built before 198077%
Built 2000 or later12%
Owner-occupied79%
Median value, owner-occupied$146,800
Single-family detached87%

What repairs cost

Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.

WorkRangeSource
Foundation repair, US $2,200 to $8,200 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Pier-and-beam repair, US $2,000 to $15,000 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Foundation inspection, US $300 to $600 Fixr, January 31, 2025

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Geary County, KS 23 mi 71% 6%
Saline County, KS 27 mi 52% 5%
Morris County, KS 30 mi 82% 10%
Ottawa County, KS 33 mi 67% 3%
Clay County, KS 33 mi 67% 2%
Marion County, KS 35 mi 80% 9%
Riley County, KS 37 mi 76% 22%
McPherson County, KS 42 mi 72% 18%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 26, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status