Winn Parish, Louisiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 81% of Winn Parish's mapped land, a higher share than 89% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 37%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 18 flood losses here since 2016. 55% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Winn Parish
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 37.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 80.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.9% |
| Mapped soil | 612,200 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Sacul | 29% | 93% |
| Guyton | 19% | n/a |
| Savannah | 12% | n/a |
| Frizzell | 10% | n/a |
| Bellwood | 6% | n/a |
| Cahaba | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas LA127 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.9% by land area here, and 11% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 37% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 37% of Winn Parish's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 81% of Winn 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: 43.24 in, 14.25 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 57.49 in.
USDA rates 85% 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 48 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 33 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 | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
18 flood losses since 2016, $1.0 million paid. The worst year was 2016, with 17.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 57.49 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.24 in (-14.25) |
| 2025 | 51.08 in (-6.41) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2020: 78.78 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1943: 32.64 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WINNFIELD 3 N (2 mi away) | 18.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 6,362 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 55% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $108,500 |
| Single-family detached | 65% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant Parish, LA | 24 mi | 22% | 35% |
| Jackson Parish, LA | 26 mi | 39% | 63% |
| Natchitoches Parish, LA | 30 mi | 50% | 61% |
| Caldwell Parish, LA | 33 mi | 25% | 65% |
| LaSalle Parish, LA | 33 mi | 18% | 52% |
| Bienville Parish, LA | 36 mi | 24% | 54% |
| Red River Parish, LA | 43 mi | 29% | 51% |
| Lincoln Parish, LA | 46 mi | 8% | 36% |
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