Hamilton County, Kansas
USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 2% of Hamilton County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 4%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 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. 76% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1970.
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 Hamilton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 4.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 52.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 28.0% |
| Mapped soil | 638,515 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Colby | 32% | n/a |
| Richfield | 26% | 12% |
| Ulysses | 14% | n/a |
| Valent | 10% | n/a |
| Goshen | 3% | n/a |
| Bridgeport | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KS075 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 18.58 in, 1.05 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 17.53 in.
USDA rates 53% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
With shrink-swell clay on 2% and a shallow water table on 4% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Hamilton County; conditions still vary lot by lot.
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 28 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 27 weeks, most recently on the September 29, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 23.4% |
| 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 Hamilton County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 17.53 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 18.58 in (+1.05) |
| 2025 | 18.78 in (+1.25) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1941: 27.08 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1956: 7.61 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SYRACUSE 1NE (3 mi away) | 3.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,014 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 76% |
| Built 2000 or later | 5% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $115,800 |
| Single-family detached | 73% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kearny County, KS | 26 mi | 3% | 7% |
| Stanton County, KS | 30 mi | 2% | 2% |
| Prowers County, CO | 33 mi | 10% | 4% |
| Greeley County, KS | 34 mi | 2% | 2% |
| Grant County, KS | 41 mi | 2% | 2% |
| Wichita County, KS | 42 mi | 4% | 2% |
| Morton County, KS | 56 mi | 2% | 1% |
| Finney County, KS | 57 mi | 14% | 5% |
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