Douglas County, Missouri
A shallow water table limits basements on 48% of Douglas County's mapped land, a higher share than 64% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 18%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 40% 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 Douglas County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 17.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 47.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 83.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 28.7% |
| Mapped soil | 521,216 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Poynor | 21% | n/a |
| Ocie | 17% | n/a |
| Mano | 13% | n/a |
| Gatewood | 8% | n/a |
| Coulstone | 7% | n/a |
| Scholten | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MO067 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.5% by land area here, and 29% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 18% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 18% of Douglas County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 48% of Douglas 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: 40.40 in, 6.30 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.70 in.
USDA rates 83% 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 14 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 | 100% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Douglas County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.70 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 40.40 in (-6.30) |
| 2025 | 47.86 in (+1.16) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1927: 70.16 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1953: 23.72 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MANSFIELD (12 mi away) | 13.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,391 |
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Built before 1980 | 40% |
| Built 2000 or later | 29% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $168,200 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozark County, MO | 21 mi | 36% | 43% |
| Wright County, MO | 22 mi | 5% | 47% |
| Webster County, MO | 30 mi | 20% | 68% |
| Taney County, MO | 36 mi | 23% | 43% |
| Howell County, MO | 37 mi | 7% | 36% |
| Christian County, MO | 37 mi | 10% | 42% |
| Texas County, MO | 40 mi | 15% | 55% |
| Baxter County, AR | 47 mi | 40% | 13% |
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