Muhlenberg County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 46% of Muhlenberg County's mapped land, a higher share than 63% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
96% 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. 54% 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 Muhlenberg County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 45.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.4% |
| Mapped soil | 306,784 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Zanesville | 14% | 97% |
| Wellston | 13% | under 1% |
| Fairpoint | 10% | n/a |
| Bethesda | 9% | n/a |
| Frondorf | 7% | n/a |
| Belknap | 7% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KY631 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 46% of Muhlenberg 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: 44.80 in, 5.27 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.07 in.
USDA rates 86% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
96% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 16 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 | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 96% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
9 flood losses since 2016, $242,597 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.07 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 44.80 in (-5.27) |
| 2025 | 57.41 in (+7.34) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1979: 71.94 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 29.00 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ROCHESTER FERRY (13 mi away) | 15.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 13,557 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 54% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $127,400 |
| Single-family detached | 74% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| McLean County, KY | 23 mi | 16% | 81% |
| Hopkins County, KY | 23 mi | 11% | 64% |
| Ohio County, KY | 24 mi | 2% | 42% |
| Butler County, KY | 25 mi | 10% | 33% |
| Todd County, KY | 26 mi | under 1% | 29% |
| Logan County, KY | 28 mi | 1% | 24% |
| Christian County, KY | 30 mi | under 1% | 34% |
| Daviess County, KY | 36 mi | 7% | 64% |
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