Jackson Parish, Louisiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 63% of Jackson Parish's mapped land, a higher share than 76% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 39%.
100% 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. 52% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1979.
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 Jackson Parish
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 39.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 63.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 76.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.3% |
| Mapped soil | 370,800 acres |
How we count · survey areas LA049 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.6% by land area here, and 8% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 39% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 39% of Jackson Parish's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 63% of Jackson Parish'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: 42.10 in, 15.18 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 57.28 in.
USDA rates 76% 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 41 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 28 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 | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 37.9% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2 flood losses since 2016, $11,472 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 57.28 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.10 in (-15.18) |
| 2025 | 51.69 in (-5.59) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1982: 76.02 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1924: 32.37 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RUSTON LA TECH (15 mi away) | 19 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,230 |
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Built before 1980 | 52% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 70% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $115,600 |
| Single-family detached | 72% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Parish, LA | 22 mi | 8% | 36% |
| Winn Parish, LA | 26 mi | 37% | 81% |
| Ouachita Parish, LA | 27 mi | 24% | 54% |
| Bienville Parish, LA | 28 mi | 24% | 54% |
| Caldwell Parish, LA | 30 mi | 25% | 65% |
| Union Parish, LA | 38 mi | 10% | 48% |
| Claiborne Parish, LA | 44 mi | 22% | 28% |
| Richland Parish, LA | 48 mi | 27% | 74% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 4, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status