Linn County, Kansas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 78% of Linn County's mapped land, a higher share than 99% of US counties and the 7th highest of 105 Kansas counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 61%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses here since 2016. 46% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1983.
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 Linn County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 77.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 60.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 71.8% |
| Mapped soil | 387,936 acres |
How we count · survey areas KS107 (2025-08-26)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.2% by land area here, and 72% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 78% of the mapped land.
On 61% of Linn 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: 40.31 in, 1.50 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 41.81 in.
USDA rates 98% 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 19 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, on the January 6, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 99.2% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
1 flood losses since 2016, $9,184 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 41.81 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 40.31 in (-1.50) |
| 2025 | 36.79 in (-5.02) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1951: 62.88 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 23.27 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CENTERVILLE 4SW (12 mi away) | 11.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,222 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 46% |
| Built 2000 or later | 26% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $173,600 |
| Single-family detached | 81% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami County, KS | 24 mi | 83% | 67% |
| Anderson County, KS | 24 mi | 80% | 72% |
| Bourbon County, KS | 25 mi | 69% | 58% |
| Bates County, MO | 28 mi | 70% | 75% |
| Franklin County, KS | 33 mi | 75% | 70% |
| Allen County, KS | 34 mi | 75% | 61% |
| Vernon County, MO | 37 mi | 54% | 63% |
| Cass County, MO | 40 mi | 68% | 80% |
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