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Owen County, Kentucky

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 15% of Owen County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 6%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.

FEMA's flood data list 13 flood losses here since 2016. 39% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1988.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

15%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

6%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

39%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Owen County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)14.9%
High water table (limits basements)6.0%
Septic fields very limited94.5%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)4.5%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)12.7%
Mapped soil226,675 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Eden57%6%
Lowell14%76%
Fairmount6%n/a
Faywood5%n/a
Nicholson4%n/a
Nolin3%n/a
Henry County: 30%Grant County: 23%Gallatin County: 11%Franklin County: 20%Carroll County: 17%Scott County: 31%Switzerland County: 41%Shelby County: 47%Owen County HenryGrantGallatinFranklinCarrollScottSwitzerlandShelbyOwen
Owen County (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by expansive clay share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas KY612 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 50.04 in, 1.54 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 48.50 in.

USDA rates 95% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 15% and a shallow water table on 6% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Owen County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

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 5 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 85.2% of its area, on the April 21, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse100%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

13 flood losses since 2016, $641,862 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 12.

YearFlood losses
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20211
20220
20230
20240
202512
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202048.50 in
12 months to August 202650.04 in (+1.54)
202555.56 in (+7.06)
Wettest year since 18952018: 69.15 in
Driest year since 18951930: 25.63 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WARSAW MARKLAND DAM (20 mi away)12.2

Homes

Housing units5,388
Median year built1988
Built before 198039%
Built 2000 or later25%
Owner-occupied88%
Median value, owner-occupied$168,700
Single-family detached71%

What repairs cost

Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.

WorkRangeSource
Foundation repair, US $2,200 to $8,200 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Pier-and-beam repair, US $2,000 to $15,000 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Foundation inspection, US $300 to $600 Fixr, January 31, 2025

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Henry County, KY 15 mi 30% 11%
Grant County, KY 16 mi 23% 9%
Gallatin County, KY 18 mi 11% 10%
Franklin County, KY 18 mi 20% 6%
Carroll County, KY 19 mi 17% 9%
Scott County, KY 21 mi 31% 3%
Switzerland County, IN 25 mi 41% 40%
Shelby County, KY 28 mi 47% 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