Todd County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 29% of Todd County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 11 flood losses here since 2016. 44% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1984.
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 Todd County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | under 0.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 28.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 55.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.3% |
| Mapped soil | 241,376 acres |
How we count · survey areas KY219 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 29% of Todd 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: 39.34 in, 12.56 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 51.90 in.
USDA rates 55% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 26 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 13 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
11 flood losses since 2016, $139,670 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 5.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 51.90 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.34 in (-12.56) |
| 2025 | 49.61 in (-2.29) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1979: 73.87 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 31.12 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RUSSELLVILLE (16 mi away) | 16.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,187 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 44% |
| Built 2000 or later | 26% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $166,700 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logan County, KY | 17 mi | 1% | 24% |
| Christian County, KY | 17 mi | under 1% | 34% |
| Montgomery County, TN | 26 mi | 1% | 25% |
| Muhlenberg County, KY | 26 mi | 2% | 46% |
| Robertson County, TN | 28 mi | 0% | 32% |
| Simpson County, KY | 34 mi | 1% | 11% |
| Trigg County, KY | 37 mi | under 1% | 13% |
| Butler County, KY | 37 mi | 10% | 33% |
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