HomeKansasKingman County

Kingman County, Kansas

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 8% of Kingman County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 11%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 78.6% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.

FEMA's flood data list 6 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

8%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

11%

high water table: limits basements

79%

in drought, October 13, 2026

77%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Kingman County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)8.5%
High water table (limits basements)11.2%
Septic fields very limited98.3%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)3.1%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)9.1%
Mapped soil554,810 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Shellabarger22%n/a
Nalim16%n/a
Albion15%n/a
Clark3%n/a
Renfrow3%n/a
Dillwyn3%n/a
Harper County: 10%Reno County: 14%Pratt County: 15%Barber County: 21%Sedgwick County: 42%Sumner County: 47%Stafford County: 10%Harvey County: 69%Kingman County HarperRenoPrattBarberSedgwickSumnerStaffordHarveyKingman
Kingman 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 KS095 (2025-08-27)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 32.64 in, 0.85 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 31.79 in.

USDA rates 98% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 8% and a shallow water table on 11% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Kingman County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

Drought

78.6% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 27 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 7 weeks, most recently on the September 29, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse100%
D1 moderate drought or worse78.6%
D2 severe or worse1.3%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

6 flood losses since 2016, $986,609 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 3.

YearFlood losses
20163
20170
20183
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202031.79 in
12 months to August 202632.64 in (+0.85)
202541.18 in (+9.39)
Wettest year since 18951951: 42.68 in
Driest year since 18951956: 12.45 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at KINGMAN (6 mi away)10

Homes

Housing units3,685
Median year built1956
Built before 198077%
Built 2000 or later9%
Owner-occupied66%
Median value, owner-occupied$111,100
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
Harper County, KS 26 mi 10% 12%
Reno County, KS 28 mi 14% 20%
Pratt County, KS 33 mi 15% 8%
Barber County, KS 37 mi 21% 2%
Sedgwick County, KS 38 mi 42% 11%
Sumner County, KS 42 mi 47% 8%
Stafford County, KS 46 mi 10% 30%
Harvey County, KS 52 mi 69% 32%

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