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Bracken County, Kentucky

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 8% of Bracken County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 4%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 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. 44% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

8%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

4%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

44%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Bracken County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)7.7%
High water table (limits basements)4.5%
Septic fields very limited91.2%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)4.2%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)4.2%
Mapped soil133,824 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Eden65%6%
Lowell12%76%
Faywood5%n/a
Nicholson4%n/a
Fairmount3%n/a
Nolin1%n/a
Robertson County: 7%Pendleton County: 14%Mason County: 43%Harrison County: 11%Brown County: 11%Campbell County: 14%Nicholas County: 29%Clermont County: 8%Bracken County RobertsonPendletonMasonHarrisonBrownCampbellNicholasClermontBracken
Bracken 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 KY637 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 49.30 in, 2.52 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 46.78 in.

USDA rates 91% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 8% and a shallow water table on 4% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Bracken County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

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 5 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 43.6% of its area, on the April 21, 2026 map.

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

Flood losses since 2016

11 flood losses since 2016, $50,505 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 7.

YearFlood losses
20160
20172
20182
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20257
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202046.78 in
12 months to August 202649.30 in (+2.52)
202552.86 in (+6.08)
Wettest year since 18952018: 61.30 in
Driest year since 18951930: 25.65 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MAYSVILLE WWTP (18 mi away)11.1

Homes

Housing units3,860
Median year built1986
Built before 198044%
Built 2000 or later26%
Owner-occupied79%
Median value, owner-occupied$125,000
Single-family detached60%

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
Robertson County, KY 12 mi 7% 2%
Pendleton County, KY 13 mi 14% 8%
Mason County, KY 17 mi 43% 5%
Harrison County, KY 20 mi 11% 3%
Brown County, OH 22 mi 11% 68%
Campbell County, KY 23 mi 14% 16%
Nicholas County, KY 24 mi 29% 2%
Clermont County, OH 26 mi 8% 67%

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