Jackson County, Kansas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 76% of Jackson County's mapped land, a higher share than 98% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 73%.
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. 56% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1976.
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 Jackson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 76.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 73.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 99.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 66.0% |
| Mapped soil | 420,953 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Pawnee | 30% | n/a |
| Martin | 16% | n/a |
| Kennebec | 10% | n/a |
| Wymore | 8% | 100% |
| Shelby | 7% | n/a |
| Vinland | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KS085 (2025-08-26)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.0% by land area here, and 66% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 76% of the mapped land.
On 73% of Jackson 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: 33.18 in, 2.50 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 35.68 in.
USDA rates 99% 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 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 56.9% of its area, in 4 weeks, most recently on the November 18, 2025 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
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Jackson County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.68 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 33.18 in (-2.50) |
| 2025 | 30.72 in (-4.96) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1973: 56.50 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1937: 18.94 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HOLTON (4 mi away) | 10.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,638 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 56% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $207,300 |
| Single-family detached | 84% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, KS | 25 mi | 59% | 54% |
| Shawnee County, KS | 26 mi | 65% | 59% |
| Atchison County, KS | 27 mi | 73% | 62% |
| Nemaha County, KS | 29 mi | 75% | 70% |
| Pottawatomie County, KS | 29 mi | 71% | 35% |
| Brown County, KS | 31 mi | 77% | 60% |
| Wabaunsee County, KS | 38 mi | 73% | 27% |
| Leavenworth County, KS | 43 mi | 63% | 52% |
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