HomeKansasJefferson County

Jefferson County, Kansas

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 59% of Jefferson County's mapped land, a higher share than 94% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 54%.

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. 52% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1979.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

59%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

54%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

52%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Jefferson County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)59.2%
High water table (limits basements)53.9%
Septic fields very limited93.7%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)6.6%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)52.8%
Mapped soil356,429 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Pawnee20%n/a
Vinland12%n/a
Shelby11%n/a
Martin10%n/a
Grundy8%n/a
Kennebec7%n/a
Leavenworth County: 63%Atchison County: 73%Douglas County: 56%Shawnee County: 65%Jackson County: 76%Wyandotte County: 61%Platte County: 30%Johnson County: 73%Jefferson County LeavenworthAtchisonDouglasShawneeJacksonWyandottePlatteJohnsonJefferson
Jefferson 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 KS087 (2025-08-26)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.6% by land area here, and 53% 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.

On 54% of Jefferson 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: 34.85 in, 2.50 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 37.35 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 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 97.8% of its area, on the November 18, 2025 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, $538,386 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, 1991-202037.35 in
12 months to August 202634.85 in (-2.50)
202531.62 in (-5.73)
Wettest year since 18951973: 56.81 in
Driest year since 18951988: 19.13 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at VALLEY FALLS 3 SW (7 mi away)10.5

Homes

Housing units8,038
Median year built1979
Built before 198052%
Built 2000 or later20%
Owner-occupied86%
Median value, owner-occupied$216,900
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
Leavenworth County, KS 18 mi 63% 52%
Atchison County, KS 21 mi 73% 62%
Douglas County, KS 24 mi 56% 51%
Shawnee County, KS 25 mi 65% 59%
Jackson County, KS 25 mi 76% 73%
Wyandotte County, KS 34 mi 61% 28%
Platte County, MO 34 mi 30% 57%
Johnson County, KS 39 mi 73% 65%

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