Elk County, Kansas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 70% of Elk County's mapped land, a higher share than 97% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 45%.
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. 74% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1956.
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 Elk County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 70.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 45.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 99.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 70.6% |
| Mapped soil | 416,333 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Clime | 12% | n/a |
| Eram | 12% | n/a |
| Steedman | 11% | n/a |
| Sogn | 9% | n/a |
| Martin | 6% | n/a |
| Dennis | 6% | 92% |
How we count · survey areas KS049 (2025-08-26)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.9% by land area here, and 71% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 70% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 70% of Elk County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 45% of Elk 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: 28.54 in, 11.22 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 39.76 in.
USDA rates 99% 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 22 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 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 | 0.9% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Elk County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 39.76 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 28.54 in (-11.22) |
| 2025 | 37.04 in (-2.72) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1961: 58.38 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1956: 20.45 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HOWARD (2 mi away) | 11.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,491 |
| Median year built | 1956 |
| Built before 1980 | 74% |
| Built 2000 or later | 13% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $68,500 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chautauqua County, KS | 21 mi | 67% | 51% |
| Wilson County, KS | 28 mi | 69% | 60% |
| Greenwood County, KS | 29 mi | 78% | 39% |
| Montgomery County, KS | 33 mi | 62% | 58% |
| Cowley County, KS | 36 mi | 59% | 12% |
| Butler County, KS | 39 mi | 73% | 8% |
| Woodson County, KS | 40 mi | 73% | 72% |
| Neosho County, KS | 51 mi | 72% | 64% |
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