Montgomery County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 16% of Montgomery 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 18 flood losses here since 2016. 42% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1987.
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 Montgomery County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 12.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 15.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 83.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 13.3% |
| Mapped soil | 127,226 acres |
How we count · survey areas KY173 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 16% of Montgomery 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: 47.96 in, 1.50 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.46 in.
USDA rates 84% 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 10 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 7 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 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
18 flood losses since 2016, $387,674 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 12.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.46 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 47.96 in (-1.50) |
| 2025 | 60.38 in (+10.92) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 74.16 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 25.36 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CLAY CITY 1 WNW (12 mi away) | 13.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 12,231 |
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 30% |
| Owner-occupied | 68% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $172,200 |
| Single-family detached | 67% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath County, KY | 12 mi | 15% | 18% |
| Clark County, KY | 13 mi | 27% | 9% |
| Powell County, KY | 16 mi | 2% | 9% |
| Menifee County, KY | 19 mi | 17% | 15% |
| Bourbon County, KY | 20 mi | 56% | 5% |
| Nicholas County, KY | 22 mi | 29% | 2% |
| Estill County, KY | 24 mi | 3% | 8% |
| Fleming County, KY | 26 mi | 21% | 12% |
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