Caldwell County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 43% of Caldwell County's mapped land, a higher share than 61% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 5 flood losses here since 2016. 60% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1975.
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 Caldwell County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 5.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 42.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 79.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.7% |
| Mapped soil | 222,822 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Crider | 21% | 0% |
| Zanesville | 20% | 97% |
| Nicholson | 6% | n/a |
| Dekalb | 5% | n/a |
| Wellston | 5% | under 1% |
| Westmoreland | 4% | 0% |
How we count · survey areas KY033 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 43% of Caldwell 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: 40.28 in, 10.07 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.35 in.
USDA rates 79% 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 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 8 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 40.3% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
5 flood losses since 2016, $72,181 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 4.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.35 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 40.28 in (-10.07) |
| 2025 | 53.37 in (+3.02) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 69.16 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 27.54 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PRINCETON 1 SE (2 mi away) | 15.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 6,064 |
| Median year built | 1975 |
| Built before 1980 | 60% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 70% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $118,500 |
| Single-family detached | 80% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyon County, KY | 15 mi | 0% | 18% |
| Crittenden County, KY | 19 mi | 1% | 54% |
| Hopkins County, KY | 21 mi | 11% | 64% |
| Trigg County, KY | 24 mi | under 1% | 13% |
| Christian County, KY | 27 mi | under 1% | 34% |
| Livingston County, KY | 27 mi | 3% | 49% |
| Webster County, KY | 28 mi | 10% | 69% |
| Marshall County, KY | 31 mi | 1% | 57% |
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