Cumberland County, Kentucky
USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 0% of Cumberland County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 3%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 40.6% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 42% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.
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 Cumberland County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 3.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 73.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 198,892 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Garmon | 17% | n/a |
| Newbern | 14% | n/a |
| Carpenter | 12% | n/a |
| Dewey | 9% | 0% |
| Renox | 6% | n/a |
| Lonewood | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KY057 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 44.65 in, 8.21 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.86 in.
USDA rates 74% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
With shrink-swell clay on 0% and a shallow water table on 3% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Cumberland County; conditions still vary lot by lot.
Drought
40.6% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 16 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 weeks, most recently on the June 23, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 40.6% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Cumberland County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.86 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 44.65 in (-8.21) |
| 2025 | 58.58 in (+5.72) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 71.91 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 34.45 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at JAMESTOWN WWTP (24 mi away) | 15.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,404 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $141,100 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton County, KY | 14 mi | 1% | 2% |
| Clay County, TN | 19 mi | 4% | 8% |
| Monroe County, KY | 19 mi | 0% | 8% |
| Metcalfe County, KY | 20 mi | 3% | 12% |
| Adair County, KY | 23 mi | 19% | 13% |
| Pickett County, TN | 23 mi | 1% | 3% |
| Russell County, KY | 23 mi | 1% | 7% |
| Overton County, TN | 31 mi | 2% | 8% |
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