Lyon County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 18% of Lyon County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 35% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1989.
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 Lyon County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 18.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 59.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | under 0.1% |
| Mapped soil | 164,262 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hammack | 15% | n/a |
| Baxter | 13% | n/a |
| Nicholson | 12% | n/a |
| Brandon | 11% | n/a |
| Lax | 5% | n/a |
| Nolin | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KY629 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 18% of Lyon 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: 42.17 in, 8.58 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.75 in.
USDA rates 60% 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 10 weeks, most recently on the June 2, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 54.5% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Lyon County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.75 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.17 in (-8.58) |
| 2025 | 55.34 in (+4.59) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 69.89 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 26.96 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PRINCETON 1 SE (14 mi away) | 15.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,847 |
| Median year built | 1989 |
| Built before 1980 | 35% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $189,500 |
| Single-family detached | 72% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caldwell County, KY | 15 mi | 6% | 43% |
| Marshall County, KY | 17 mi | 1% | 57% |
| Livingston County, KY | 20 mi | 3% | 49% |
| Trigg County, KY | 20 mi | under 1% | 13% |
| Crittenden County, KY | 23 mi | 1% | 54% |
| Calloway County, KY | 30 mi | under 1% | 54% |
| Christian County, KY | 34 mi | under 1% | 34% |
| McCracken County, KY | 34 mi | 6% | 73% |
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