Kenton County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 26% of Kenton County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 14%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 70 flood losses here since 2016, 58% of them in buildings with basements. 58% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1974.
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 Kenton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 14.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 25.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 13.1% |
| Urban land, not rated | 2.6% |
| Mapped soil | 105,561 acres |
How we count · survey areas KY603 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 26% of Kenton 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: 50.24 in, 4.44 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 45.80 in.
USDA rates 89% 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. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 90.4% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
70 flood losses since 2016, $1.1 million paid. The worst year was 2025, with 32. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 58% basements, 14% slabs, 7% crawl spaces, 21% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 11 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 30 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 32 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.80 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 50.24 in (+4.44) |
| 2025 | 52.48 in (+6.68) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 65.99 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 23.93 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CINCINNATI NORTHERN KY AP (11 mi away) | 10.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 73,221 |
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Built before 1980 | 58% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $244,400 |
| Single-family detached | 68% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell County, KY | 8 mi | 14% | 16% |
| Boone County, KY | 11 mi | 7% | 29% |
| Hamilton County, OH | 18 mi | 7% | 9% |
| Pendleton County, KY | 19 mi | 14% | 8% |
| Grant County, KY | 20 mi | 23% | 9% |
| Gallatin County, KY | 22 mi | 11% | 10% |
| Clermont County, OH | 22 mi | 8% | 67% |
| Ohio County, IN | 23 mi | 40% | 28% |
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