Laurel County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 26% of Laurel County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 12%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 6 flood losses here since 2016. 31% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1992.
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 Laurel County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 12.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 25.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 77.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 12.3% |
| Mapped soil | 283,924 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Shelocta | 22% | 4% |
| Latham | 16% | n/a |
| Whitley | 14% | n/a |
| Lily | 11% | n/a |
| Rigley | 7% | n/a |
| Stendal | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KY628 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 26% of Laurel 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: 46.56 in, 6.09 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.65 in.
USDA rates 78% 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 18 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 11 weeks, most recently on the June 23, 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
6 flood losses since 2016, $1.1 million paid. The worst year was 2021, with 5.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.65 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 46.56 in (-6.09) |
| 2025 | 60.37 in (+7.72) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2020: 68.63 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 28.71 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LONDON CORBIN AP (3 mi away) | 13.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 26,818 |
| Median year built | 1992 |
| Built before 1980 | 31% |
| Built 2000 or later | 32% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $159,500 |
| Single-family detached | 61% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockcastle County, KY | 20 mi | 11% | 19% |
| Jackson County, KY | 21 mi | 3% | under 1% |
| Knox County, KY | 21 mi | 16% | 34% |
| Clay County, KY | 22 mi | 0% | 2% |
| Whitley County, KY | 25 mi | 6% | 18% |
| Pulaski County, KY | 25 mi | 6% | 15% |
| Owsley County, KY | 32 mi | 0% | under 1% |
| McCreary County, KY | 33 mi | 0% | 1% |
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