HomeKentuckyGarrard County

Garrard County, Kentucky

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 18% of Garrard County's mapped land, a higher share than 67% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 5%.

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. 42% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1988.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

18%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

5%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

42%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Garrard County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)17.9%
High water table (limits basements)4.8%
Septic fields very limited83.6%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)4.3%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)16.0%
Mapped soil149,728 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Faywood15%n/a
Lowell14%76%
Culleoka11%n/a
Eden8%6%
Cynthiana8%n/a
Shrouts5%n/a
Lincoln County: 8%Madison County: 13%Jessamine County: 27%Boyle County: 20%Mercer County: 22%Rockcastle County: 11%Fayette County: 40%Casey County: 1%Garrard County LincolnMadisonJessamineBoyleMercerRockcastleFayetteCaseyGarrard
Garrard 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 KY618 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.3% by land area here, and 16% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 18% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 52.07 in, 2.47 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 49.60 in.

USDA rates 84% 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 11 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 10 weeks, most recently on the June 9, 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 worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

11 flood losses since 2016, $751,343 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 6.

YearFlood losses
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20215
20220
20230
20240
20256
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202049.60 in
12 months to August 202652.07 in (+2.47)
202565.50 in (+15.90)
Wettest year since 18952018: 68.70 in
Driest year since 18951930: 26.12 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CRAB ORCHARD 6 N (11 mi away)13.8

Homes

Housing units7,280
Median year built1988
Built before 198042%
Built 2000 or later27%
Owner-occupied80%
Median value, owner-occupied$204,900
Single-family detached80%

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
Lincoln County, KY 13 mi 8% 14%
Madison County, KY 16 mi 13% 19%
Jessamine County, KY 17 mi 27% 4%
Boyle County, KY 18 mi 20% 5%
Mercer County, KY 22 mi 22% 4%
Rockcastle County, KY 22 mi 11% 19%
Fayette County, KY 29 mi 40% 13%
Casey County, KY 30 mi 1% 13%

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