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Allen County, Kentucky

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 0% of Allen County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 12%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.

FEMA's flood data list 7 flood losses here since 2016. 36% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1992.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

0%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

12%

high water table: limits basements

100%

in drought, October 13, 2026

36%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Allen County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)0.0%
High water table (limits basements)12.0%
Septic fields very limited51.3%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)2.9%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)0.0%
Mapped soil224,660 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Trimble38%n/a
Christian23%n/a
Bedford10%n/a
Mountview9%n/a
Caneyville4%n/a
Nolin4%n/a
Macon County: 10%Barren County: 1%Warren County: 8%Simpson County: 1%Sumner County: 18%Trousdale County: 44%Monroe County: 0%Edmonson County: 6%Allen County MaconBarrenWarrenSimpsonSumnerTrousdaleMonroeEdmonsonAllen
Allen 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 KY003 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 41.64 in, 11.05 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.69 in.

USDA rates 51% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 0% and a shallow water table on 12% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Allen County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

Drought

100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 20 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 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 worse100%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

7 flood losses since 2016, $378,295 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 4.

YearFlood losses
20160
20174
20181
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20241
20251
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202052.69 in
12 months to August 202641.64 in (-11.05)
202560.28 in (+7.59)
Wettest year since 18951950: 68.63 in
Driest year since 18951930: 31.21 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SCOTTSVILLE (2 mi away)15.4

Homes

Housing units9,275
Median year built1992
Built before 198036%
Built 2000 or later36%
Owner-occupied75%
Median value, owner-occupied$192,300
Single-family detached72%

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
Macon County, TN 18 mi 10% 16%
Barren County, KY 21 mi 1% 17%
Warren County, KY 21 mi 8% 13%
Simpson County, KY 22 mi 1% 11%
Sumner County, TN 25 mi 18% 19%
Trousdale County, TN 25 mi 44% 10%
Monroe County, KY 27 mi 0% 8%
Edmonson County, KY 33 mi 6% 21%

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