Marshall County, Kansas
A shallow water table limits basements on 73% of Marshall County's mapped land, a higher share than 84% of US counties and the 4th highest of 105 Kansas counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 72%.
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. 74% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1959.
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 Marshall County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 71.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 73.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 70.8% |
| Mapped soil | 579,386 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Wymore | 32% | 100% |
| Pawnee | 24% | n/a |
| Kennebec | 7% | n/a |
| Kipson | 5% | n/a |
| Tully | 4% | n/a |
| Shelby | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KS117 (2025-08-26)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.2% by land area here, and 71% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 72% of the mapped land.
On 73% of Marshall 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: 37.19 in, 4.36 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 32.83 in.
USDA rates 97% 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. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| 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 Marshall County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 32.83 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.19 in (+4.36) |
| 2025 | 29.68 in (-3.15) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 54.76 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1988: 18.60 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MARYSVILLE (7 mi away) | 8.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,751 |
| Median year built | 1959 |
| Built before 1980 | 74% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $127,700 |
| Single-family detached | 87% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nemaha County, KS | 27 mi | 75% | 70% |
| Pawnee County, NE | 29 mi | 70% | 65% |
| Pottawatomie County, KS | 29 mi | 71% | 35% |
| Washington County, KS | 31 mi | 67% | 6% |
| Gage County, NE | 34 mi | 81% | 88% |
| Riley County, KS | 36 mi | 76% | 22% |
| Jefferson County, NE | 44 mi | 65% | 15% |
| Johnson County, NE | 44 mi | 69% | 74% |
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