Madison County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 19% of Madison County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 13%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 59 flood losses here since 2016, 18% of them in buildings with basements. 31% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1993.
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 Madison County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 12.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 18.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 82.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.5% |
| Mapped soil | 283,706 acres |
How we count · survey areas KY151 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 19% of Madison 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: 50.23 in, 0.60 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 49.63 in.
USDA rates 82% 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 11 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 10 weeks, most recently on the June 9, 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
59 flood losses since 2016, $2.0 million paid. The worst year was 2026, with 19. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 18% basements, 14% slabs, 41% crawl spaces, 27% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 18 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 13 |
| 2026 to date | 19 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.63 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 50.23 in (+0.60) |
| 2025 | 63.28 in (+13.65) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 72.08 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 24.63 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RICHMOND STATE POLICE (1 mi away) | 14.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 40,456 |
| Median year built | 1993 |
| Built before 1980 | 31% |
| Built 2000 or later | 37% |
| Owner-occupied | 62% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $232,000 |
| Single-family detached | 62% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garrard County, KY | 16 mi | 18% | 5% |
| Estill County, KY | 17 mi | 3% | 8% |
| Clark County, KY | 18 mi | 27% | 9% |
| Jessamine County, KY | 20 mi | 27% | 4% |
| Fayette County, KY | 24 mi | 40% | 13% |
| Powell County, KY | 25 mi | 2% | 9% |
| Rockcastle County, KY | 25 mi | 11% | 19% |
| Jackson County, KY | 26 mi | 3% | under 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