Pulaski County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 15% of Pulaski County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 12 flood losses here since 2016. 43% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.
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 Pulaski County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 6.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 15.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 64.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.0% |
| Mapped soil | 433,510 acres |
How we count · survey areas KY199 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 15% of Pulaski 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: 47.94 in, 4.74 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.68 in.
USDA rates 64% 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 15 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 weeks, most recently on the June 23, 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
12 flood losses since 2016, $387,541 paid. The worst year was 2021, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.68 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 47.94 in (-4.74) |
| 2025 | 61.66 in (+8.98) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 71.62 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 28.91 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SOMERSET 2 N (2 mi away) | 14.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 31,722 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 43% |
| Built 2000 or later | 28% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $166,900 |
| Single-family detached | 69% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockcastle County, KY | 23 mi | 11% | 19% |
| Casey County, KY | 24 mi | 1% | 13% |
| Lincoln County, KY | 25 mi | 8% | 14% |
| Laurel County, KY | 25 mi | 12% | 26% |
| Wayne County, KY | 25 mi | 9% | 4% |
| McCreary County, KY | 26 mi | 0% | 1% |
| Russell County, KY | 28 mi | 1% | 7% |
| Whitley County, KY | 34 mi | 6% | 18% |
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