Lincoln Parish, Louisiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 36% of Lincoln Parish's mapped land, a higher share than 55% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 8%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 9 flood losses here since 2016. 43% 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 Lincoln Parish
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 36.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 78.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.7% |
| Mapped soil | 302,300 acres |
How we count · survey areas LA061 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 36% of Lincoln 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: 42.40 in, 14.49 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 56.89 in.
USDA rates 78% 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 35 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 29 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 | 98.1% |
| D4 exceptional | 15.2% |
Flood losses since 2016
9 flood losses since 2016, $269,656 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 56.89 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.40 in (-14.49) |
| 2025 | 53.50 in (-3.39) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1974: 75.43 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1924: 31.95 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RUSTON LA TECH (7 mi away) | 19 |
Homes
| Housing units | 20,827 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 43% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 54% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $210,100 |
| Single-family detached | 59% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Parish, LA | 22 mi | 39% | 63% |
| Union Parish, LA | 23 mi | 10% | 48% |
| Claiborne Parish, LA | 24 mi | 22% | 28% |
| Bienville Parish, LA | 29 mi | 24% | 54% |
| Ouachita Parish, LA | 31 mi | 24% | 54% |
| Union County, AR | 39 mi | 15% | 74% |
| Webster Parish, LA | 40 mi | 20% | 47% |
| Winn Parish, LA | 46 mi | 37% | 81% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status