Smith County, Kansas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 24% of Smith County's mapped land, a higher share than 75% 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. 84% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1954.
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 Smith County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 23.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 0.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 61.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 25.5% |
| Mapped soil | 573,997 acres |
How we count · survey areas KS183 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.7% by land area here, and 25% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 24% of the mapped land.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 22.44 in, 3.52 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 25.96 in.
USDA rates 61% 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 14 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 3 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| 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 Smith County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 25.96 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 22.44 in (-3.52) |
| 2025 | 23.95 in (-2.01) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 41.42 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 12.65 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SMITH CTR (1 mi away) | 6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,024 |
| Median year built | 1954 |
| Built before 1980 | 84% |
| Built 2000 or later | 6% |
| Owner-occupied | 85% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $94,100 |
| Single-family detached | 89% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, NE | 29 mi | 5% | 5% |
| Phillips County, KS | 30 mi | 6% | 1% |
| Jewell County, KS | 30 mi | 50% | 2% |
| Osborne County, KS | 30 mi | 45% | 1% |
| Webster County, NE | 31 mi | 19% | 3% |
| Mitchell County, KS | 41 mi | 58% | 1% |
| Rooks County, KS | 42 mi | 26% | 1% |
| Harlan County, NE | 43 mi | 2% | 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