Jefferson County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 22% of Jefferson County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 662 flood losses here since 2016, 23% of them in buildings with basements. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1972.
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 Jefferson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 21.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 42.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.8% |
| Urban land, not rated | 34.5% |
| Mapped soil | 254,656 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Crider | 6% | 0% |
| Shrouts | 5% | n/a |
| Beasley | 5% | n/a |
| Faywood | 3% | n/a |
| Caneyville | 2% | n/a |
| Carpenter | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KY111 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 22% of Jefferson 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: 48.84 in, 1.22 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.06 in.
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 22.9% of its area, on the April 21, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 86.9% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
662 flood losses since 2016, $29.1 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 289. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 23% basements, 22% slabs, 11% crawl spaces, 43% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 24 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 289 |
| 2019 | 44 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 27 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 12 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 251 |
| 2026 to date | 9 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.06 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 48.84 in (-1.22) |
| 2025 | 54.01 in (+3.95) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 69.32 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 26.61 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LOUISVILLE INTL AP (4 mi away) | 12.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 359,710 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 62% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $248,400 |
| Single-family detached | 64% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullitt County, KY | 16 mi | 13% | 21% |
| Floyd County, IN | 16 mi | 27% | 20% |
| Oldham County, KY | 18 mi | 7% | 17% |
| Clark County, IN | 20 mi | 13% | 44% |
| Spencer County, KY | 22 mi | 23% | 7% |
| Shelby County, KY | 24 mi | 47% | 12% |
| Harrison County, IN | 24 mi | 53% | 17% |
| Nelson County, KY | 29 mi | 16% | 14% |
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