Cole County, Missouri
A shallow water table limits basements on 69% of Cole County's mapped land, a higher share than 80% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 14%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 68 flood losses here since 2016, 6% of them in buildings with basements. 47% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1982.
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 Cole County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 14.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 68.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 23.9% |
| Urban land, not rated | 3.5% |
| Mapped soil | 257,139 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Wrengart | 17% | n/a |
| Gravois | 12% | n/a |
| Gatewood | 8% | n/a |
| Gunlock | 7% | n/a |
| Moko | 6% | n/a |
| Rueter | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MO051 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 69% of Cole 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: 39.93 in, 2.80 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 42.73 in.
USDA rates 93% 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 16 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 6 weeks, most recently on the February 10, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
68 flood losses since 2016, $2.6 million paid. The worst year was 2019, with 26. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 6% basements, 30% slabs, 64% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 23 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 13 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 26 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 42.73 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.93 in (-2.80) |
| 2025 | 33.85 in (-8.88) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 63.65 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1901: 22.30 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at JEFFERSON CITY WTP (8 mi away) | 11.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 33,533 |
| Median year built | 1982 |
| Built before 1980 | 47% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 68% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $229,600 |
| Single-family detached | 69% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moniteau County, MO | 19 mi | 23% | 80% |
| Miller County, MO | 21 mi | 23% | 44% |
| Osage County, MO | 23 mi | 29% | 70% |
| Callaway County, MO | 30 mi | 54% | 63% |
| Maries County, MO | 30 mi | 29% | 70% |
| Morgan County, MO | 33 mi | 28% | 46% |
| Boone County, MO | 34 mi | 71% | 78% |
| Cooper County, MO | 37 mi | 37% | 66% |
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