Russell County, Kansas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 40% of Russell County's mapped land, a higher share than 87% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 1%.
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. 76% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1957.
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 Russell County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 40.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 0.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 78.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 35.5% |
| Mapped soil | 575,705 acres |
How we count · survey areas KS167 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.9% by land area here, and 36% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 40% of the mapped land.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 26.53 in, 0.55 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 25.98 in.
USDA rates 79% 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 15 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 6 weeks, most recently on the May 12, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 44.4% |
| 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 Russell County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 25.98 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 26.53 in (+0.55) |
| 2025 | 25.57 in (-0.41) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1951: 41.76 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1956: 13.45 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RUSSELL MUNI AP (3 mi away) | 6.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,674 |
| Median year built | 1957 |
| Built before 1980 | 76% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $119,000 |
| Single-family detached | 88% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellis County, KS | 29 mi | 36% | 1% |
| Osborne County, KS | 30 mi | 45% | 1% |
| Barton County, KS | 30 mi | 54% | 10% |
| Lincoln County, KS | 31 mi | 47% | 1% |
| Ellsworth County, KS | 34 mi | 50% | 1% |
| Rush County, KS | 40 mi | 60% | 1% |
| Rooks County, KS | 42 mi | 26% | 1% |
| Mitchell County, KS | 45 mi | 58% | 1% |
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