Morris County, Kansas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 82% of Morris County's mapped land, a higher share than 99% of US counties and the 2nd highest of 105 Kansas counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 10%.
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. 66% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1960.
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 Morris County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 81.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 9.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 74.2% |
| Mapped soil | 449,619 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Irwin | 24% | n/a |
| Labette | 15% | n/a |
| Dwight | 10% | n/a |
| Tully | 10% | n/a |
| Ladysmith | 8% | n/a |
| Florence | 8% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KS127 (2025-08-26)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.4% by land area here, and 74% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 82% of the mapped land.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 34.77 in, 0.35 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 35.12 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. 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 Morris County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.12 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.77 in (-0.35) |
| 2025 | 31.36 in (-3.76) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1951: 56.41 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1966: 18.69 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at COUNCIL GROVE LAKE (8 mi away) | 9.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,995 |
| Median year built | 1960 |
| Built before 1980 | 66% |
| Built 2000 or later | 17% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $129,600 |
| Single-family detached | 80% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geary County, KS | 23 mi | 71% | 6% |
| Chase County, KS | 27 mi | 71% | 10% |
| Dickinson County, KS | 30 mi | 81% | 3% |
| Wabaunsee County, KS | 30 mi | 73% | 27% |
| Lyon County, KS | 31 mi | 80% | 53% |
| Marion County, KS | 33 mi | 80% | 9% |
| Riley County, KS | 42 mi | 76% | 22% |
| Pottawatomie County, KS | 51 mi | 71% | 35% |
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