Woodson County, Kansas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 73% of Woodson County's mapped land, a higher share than 98% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 72%.
81.3% 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. 75% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1962.
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 Woodson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 73.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 72.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 73.0% |
| Mapped soil | 323,353 acres |
How we count · survey areas KS207 (2025-08-26)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.0% by land area here, and 73% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 73% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 81.3% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 73% of Woodson County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 72% of Woodson 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: 37.21 in, 2.77 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 39.98 in.
USDA rates 99% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
81.3% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 13 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the September 8, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 81.3% |
| 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 Woodson County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 39.98 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.21 in (-2.77) |
| 2025 | 38.15 in (-1.83) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1973: 57.83 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 20.93 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at YATES CTR (2 mi away) | 12.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,845 |
| Median year built | 1962 |
| Built before 1980 | 75% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 85% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $81,200 |
| Single-family detached | 81% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson County, KS | 23 mi | 69% | 60% |
| Coffey County, KS | 24 mi | 77% | 76% |
| Allen County, KS | 25 mi | 75% | 61% |
| Greenwood County, KS | 26 mi | 78% | 39% |
| Neosho County, KS | 33 mi | 72% | 64% |
| Anderson County, KS | 34 mi | 80% | 72% |
| Elk County, KS | 40 mi | 70% | 45% |
| Lyon County, KS | 45 mi | 80% | 53% |
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