Hancock County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 36% of Hancock County's mapped land, a higher share than 55% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 7 flood losses here since 2016. 49% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1981.
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 Hancock County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 36.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 81.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.1% |
| Mapped soil | 128,224 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Wellston | 25% | under 1% |
| Frondorf | 13% | n/a |
| Zanesville | 9% | 97% |
| Belknap | 7% | n/a |
| Hosmer | 5% | over 99% |
| Alford | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KY615 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 36% of Hancock 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: 50.57 in, 0.29 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 50.28 in.
USDA rates 81% 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 4 weeks, most recently on the May 19, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
7 flood losses since 2016, $25,999 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.28 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 50.57 in (+0.29) |
| 2025 | 60.36 in (+10.08) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1979: 69.82 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 28.68 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CANNELTON (6 mi away) | 14.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,928 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 49% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $141,200 |
| Single-family detached | 69% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer County, IN | 17 mi | 3% | 66% |
| Daviess County, KY | 18 mi | 7% | 64% |
| Perry County, IN | 19 mi | 27% | 48% |
| Breckinridge County, KY | 20 mi | under 1% | 28% |
| Ohio County, KY | 25 mi | 2% | 42% |
| Warrick County, IN | 31 mi | 6% | 60% |
| Meade County, KY | 33 mi | 1% | 12% |
| McLean County, KY | 34 mi | 16% | 81% |
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