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Adair County, Kentucky

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 19% of Adair County's mapped land, a higher share than 69% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 13%.

None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses here since 2016. 45% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1984.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

19%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

13%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

45%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Adair County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)19.0%
High water table (limits basements)13.1%
Septic fields very limited73.7%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)3.3%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)2.7%
Mapped soil263,974 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Garmon21%n/a
Frederick20%23%
Frankstown10%n/a
Pricetown6%n/a
Weikert5%0%
Culleoka4%n/a
Russell County: 1%Green County: 17%Taylor County: 4%Metcalfe County: 3%Cumberland County: 0%Casey County: 1%Clinton County: 1%Marion County: 5%Adair County RussellGreenTaylorMetcalfeCumberlandCaseyClintonMarionAdair
Adair 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 KY001 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.3% by land area here, and 3% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 19% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 44.69 in, 7.97 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.66 in.

USDA rates 74% 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 12 weeks, most recently on the June 23, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse100%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

1 flood losses since 2016, $37,186 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 1.

YearFlood losses
20160
20171
20180
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202052.66 in
12 months to August 202644.69 in (-7.97)
202561.63 in (+8.97)
Wettest year since 18951979: 66.79 in
Driest year since 18951930: 32.80 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at JAMESTOWN WWTP (14 mi away)15.6

Homes

Housing units8,648
Median year built1984
Built before 198045%
Built 2000 or later28%
Owner-occupied77%
Median value, owner-occupied$150,800
Single-family detached74%

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
Russell County, KY 15 mi 1% 7%
Green County, KY 18 mi 17% 10%
Taylor County, KY 18 mi 4% 12%
Metcalfe County, KY 21 mi 3% 12%
Cumberland County, KY 23 mi 0% 3%
Casey County, KY 25 mi 1% 13%
Clinton County, KY 27 mi 1% 2%
Marion County, KY 31 mi 5% 14%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status