HomeKentuckyGrant County

Grant County, Kentucky

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 23% of Grant County's mapped land, a higher share than 73% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 9%.

None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses here since 2016. 35% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1990.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

23%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

9%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

35%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Grant County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)22.9%
High water table (limits basements)8.9%
Septic fields very limited97.0%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)4.7%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)18.4%
Mapped soil166,803 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Eden58%6%
Lowell14%76%
Faywood7%n/a
Nicholson7%n/a
Nolin3%n/a
Fairmount3%n/a
Gallatin County: 11%Pendleton County: 14%Owen County: 15%Kenton County: 14%Harrison County: 11%Boone County: 7%Campbell County: 14%Switzerland County: 41%Grant County GallatinPendletonOwenKentonHarrisonBooneCampbellSwitzerlandGrant
Grant 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 KY619 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.7% by land area here, and 18% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 23% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 48.08 in, 1.02 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 47.06 in.

USDA rates 97% 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 5 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 77% 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 worse94.8%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

1 flood losses since 2016, $0 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 1.

YearFlood losses
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 to date1

Rain

Average year, 1991-202047.06 in
12 months to August 202648.08 in (+1.02)
202550.59 in (+3.53)
Wettest year since 18952011: 66.06 in
Driest year since 18951930: 25.15 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WARSAW MARKLAND DAM (20 mi away)12.2

Homes

Housing units10,245
Median year built1990
Built before 198035%
Built 2000 or later24%
Owner-occupied75%
Median value, owner-occupied$209,500
Single-family detached64%

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
Gallatin County, KY 15 mi 11% 10%
Pendleton County, KY 15 mi 14% 8%
Owen County, KY 16 mi 15% 6%
Kenton County, KY 20 mi 14% 26%
Harrison County, KY 21 mi 11% 3%
Boone County, KY 22 mi 7% 29%
Campbell County, KY 24 mi 14% 16%
Switzerland County, IN 25 mi 41% 40%

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