Rowan County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 21% of Rowan County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 8%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 37 flood losses here since 2016. 30% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1992.
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 Rowan County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 7.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 20.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.8% |
| Mapped soil | 183,309 acres |
How we count · survey areas KY645 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 21% of Rowan 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: 43.90 in, 5.35 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.25 in.
USDA rates 87% 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 9 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 6 weeks, most recently on the May 19, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 21.2% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
37 flood losses since 2016, $628,872 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 14. Median water depth outside the building: 15 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 2 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.25 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.90 in (-5.35) |
| 2025 | 54.27 in (+5.02) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 69.82 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 26.47 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CAVE RUN LAKE (8 mi away) | 11.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 10,623 |
| Median year built | 1992 |
| Built before 1980 | 30% |
| Built 2000 or later | 31% |
| Owner-occupied | 62% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $161,800 |
| Single-family detached | 61% |
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 | 17 mi | 15% | 18% |
| Fleming County, KY | 19 mi | 21% | 12% |
| Elliott County, KY | 19 mi | 4% | 15% |
| Menifee County, KY | 21 mi | 17% | 15% |
| Morgan County, KY | 21 mi | 9% | 13% |
| Carter County, KY | 22 mi | 27% | 35% |
| Lewis County, KY | 23 mi | 1% | 13% |
| Montgomery County, KY | 29 mi | 13% | 16% |
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