Boone County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 29% of Boone County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 7%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 11 flood losses here since 2016. 26% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1996.
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 Boone County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 7.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 29.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 6.4% |
| Mapped soil | 164,128 acres |
How we count · survey areas KY603 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 29% of Boone 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: 48.65 in, 2.47 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 46.18 in.
USDA rates 85% 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. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 86.6% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
11 flood losses since 2016, $73,663 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.18 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 48.65 in (+2.47) |
| 2025 | 50.26 in (+4.08) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 69.25 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 23.67 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CINCINNATI NORTHERN KY AP (7 mi away) | 10.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 53,195 |
| Median year built | 1996 |
| Built before 1980 | 26% |
| Built 2000 or later | 42% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $277,300 |
| Single-family detached | 68% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenton County, KY | 11 mi | 14% | 26% |
| Ohio County, IN | 12 mi | 40% | 28% |
| Gallatin County, KY | 16 mi | 11% | 10% |
| Dearborn County, IN | 18 mi | 38% | 36% |
| Switzerland County, IN | 18 mi | 41% | 40% |
| Campbell County, KY | 19 mi | 14% | 16% |
| Hamilton County, OH | 19 mi | 7% | 9% |
| Grant County, KY | 22 mi | 23% | 9% |
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