Union County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 53% of Union County's mapped land, a higher share than 69% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 4%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016. 58% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1976.
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 Union County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 3.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 52.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 69.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.4% |
| Mapped soil | 232,179 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Alford | 28% | n/a |
| Uniontown | 10% | n/a |
| Patton | 9% | n/a |
| Wilbur | 5% | n/a |
| Wakeland | 4% | n/a |
| Nolin | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KY635 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 53% of Union 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: 37.99 in, 9.57 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 47.56 in.
USDA rates 69% 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, on the April 21, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 81.9% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2 flood losses since 2016, $71,987 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 47.56 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.99 in (-9.57) |
| 2025 | 45.01 in (-2.55) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 69.54 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 26.97 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at JT MYERS LOCKS & DAM (10 mi away) | 14.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,846 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 58% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 70% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $104,500 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallatin County, IL | 17 mi | 31% | 67% |
| Webster County, KY | 17 mi | 10% | 69% |
| Hardin County, IL | 20 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Crittenden County, KY | 22 mi | 1% | 54% |
| Henderson County, KY | 23 mi | 5% | 63% |
| Posey County, IN | 26 mi | 4% | 54% |
| Vanderburgh County, IN | 32 mi | 5% | 71% |
| White County, IL | 32 mi | 12% | 75% |
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