Livingston County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 49% of Livingston County's mapped land, a higher share than 66% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 9 flood losses here since 2016. 56% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Livingston County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 3.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 49.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 79.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.1% |
| Mapped soil | 219,085 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hosmer | 18% | over 99% |
| Zanesville | 13% | 97% |
| Frondorf | 6% | n/a |
| Lindside | 5% | n/a |
| Hammack | 4% | n/a |
| Alford | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KY139 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 49% of Livingston 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: 45.68 in, 4.37 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.05 in.
USDA rates 80% 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 13 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 8 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 7% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
9 flood losses since 2016, $270,786 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.05 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 45.68 in (-4.37) |
| 2025 | 54.52 in (+4.47) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 69.81 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 28.91 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SMITHLAND L&D (5 mi away) | 14.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,640 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 56% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $125,600 |
| Single-family detached | 73% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pope County, IL | 17 mi | 2% | 67% |
| Crittenden County, KY | 18 mi | 1% | 54% |
| Massac County, IL | 19 mi | 8% | 79% |
| Lyon County, KY | 20 mi | 0% | 18% |
| Hardin County, IL | 22 mi | 1% | 41% |
| McCracken County, KY | 22 mi | 6% | 73% |
| Marshall County, KY | 23 mi | 1% | 57% |
| Caldwell County, KY | 27 mi | 6% | 43% |
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