Graves County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 60% of Graves County's mapped land, a higher share than 74% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 19 flood losses here since 2016. 57% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.
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 Graves County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 60.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 74.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.1% |
| Mapped soil | 356,358 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase | 18% | n/a |
| Loring | 16% | 99% |
| Grenada | 16% | n/a |
| Collins | 16% | n/a |
| Brandon | 6% | n/a |
| Falaya | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KY083 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 60% of Graves 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: 47.26 in, 4.84 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.10 in.
USDA rates 75% 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 26 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 weeks, most recently on the June 2, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
19 flood losses since 2016, $440,746 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 12.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.10 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 47.26 in (-4.84) |
| 2025 | 57.79 in (+5.69) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1957: 71.93 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1941: 31.54 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MAYFIELD STATE POLICE (9 mi away) | 17 |
Homes
| Housing units | 16,425 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 57% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $147,800 |
| Single-family detached | 81% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hickman County, KY | 18 mi | 3% | 77% |
| Carlisle County, KY | 20 mi | 3% | 72% |
| Marshall County, KY | 21 mi | 1% | 57% |
| Calloway County, KY | 22 mi | under 1% | 54% |
| McCracken County, KY | 23 mi | 6% | 73% |
| Weakley County, TN | 29 mi | 0% | 84% |
| Ballard County, KY | 30 mi | 2% | 67% |
| Fulton County, KY | 32 mi | 15% | 65% |
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