Whitley County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 18% of Whitley 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 5 flood losses here since 2016. 39% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1987.
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 Whitley County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 5.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 17.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 84.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.9% |
| Mapped soil | 284,883 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Shelocta | 31% | 4% |
| Latham | 11% | n/a |
| Sequoia | 8% | n/a |
| Wernock | 7% | n/a |
| Fairpoint | 4% | n/a |
| Rigley | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KY627 (2025-09-08), KY630 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 18% of Whitley 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: 47.00 in, 5.92 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.92 in.
USDA rates 85% 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 26 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 15 weeks, most recently on the July 14, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 12.1% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
5 flood losses since 2016, $71,325 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.92 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 47.00 in (-5.92) |
| 2025 | 58.18 in (+5.26) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2020: 69.48 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 32.88 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at NEWCOMB (14 mi away) | 14.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 15,629 |
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Built before 1980 | 39% |
| Built 2000 or later | 26% |
| Owner-occupied | 67% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $131,800 |
| Single-family detached | 64% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County, KY | 18 mi | 16% | 34% |
| McCreary County, KY | 19 mi | 0% | 1% |
| Laurel County, KY | 25 mi | 12% | 26% |
| Campbell County, TN | 25 mi | 0% | 2% |
| Bell County, KY | 26 mi | 0% | 1% |
| Scott County, TN | 30 mi | 0% | 2% |
| Claiborne County, TN | 32 mi | under 1% | 3% |
| Pulaski County, KY | 34 mi | 6% | 15% |
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