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Saline County, Kansas

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 52% of Saline County's mapped land, a higher share than 92% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 5%.

None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 12 flood losses here since 2016. 70% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1966.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

52%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

5%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

70%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Saline County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)52.4%
High water table (limits basements)5.1%
Septic fields very limited79.7%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)5.9%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)44.4%
Mapped soil461,645 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Lancaster14%n/a
Crete14%100%
Wells8%n/a
Longford7%n/a
Tobin7%n/a
Hedville7%n/a
Ottawa County: 67%Dickinson County: 81%McPherson County: 72%Ellsworth County: 50%Lincoln County: 47%Marion County: 80%Rice County: 47%Clay County: 67%Saline County OttawaDickinsonMcPhersonEllsworthLincolnMarionRiceClaySaline
Saline 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 KS169 (2025-08-27)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.9% by land area here, and 44% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 52% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 32.28 in, 1.33 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 30.95 in.

USDA rates 80% 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 26 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 3 weeks, most recently on the April 21, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse7.8%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

12 flood losses since 2016, $62,510 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 8.

YearFlood losses
20160
20170
20181
20198
20201
20212
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202030.95 in
12 months to August 202632.28 in (+1.33)
202531.03 in (+0.08)
Wettest year since 18951993: 52.42 in
Driest year since 18951956: 15.71 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SALINA MUNI AP (1 mi away)7.6

Homes

Housing units24,157
Median year built1966
Built before 198070%
Built 2000 or later11%
Owner-occupied67%
Median value, owner-occupied$179,600
Single-family detached76%

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
Ottawa County, KS 24 mi 67% 3%
Dickinson County, KS 27 mi 81% 3%
McPherson County, KS 27 mi 72% 18%
Ellsworth County, KS 31 mi 50% 1%
Lincoln County, KS 35 mi 47% 1%
Marion County, KS 42 mi 80% 9%
Rice County, KS 43 mi 47% 17%
Clay County, KS 46 mi 67% 2%

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