Hickory County, Missouri
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 51% of Hickory County's mapped land, a higher share than 91% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 26%.
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. 46% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1983.
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 Hickory County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 51.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 25.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 58.2% |
| Mapped soil | 263,654 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Bardley | 29% | n/a |
| Goss | 9% | 1% |
| Eldon | 8% | n/a |
| Gasconade | 7% | n/a |
| Union | 5% | n/a |
| Gepp | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MO085 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.5% by land area here, and 58% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 51% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 51% of Hickory County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 26% of Hickory 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: 44.39 in, 0.55 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 43.84 in.
USDA rates 93% 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 28 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 8 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 | 58.5% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 7.8% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Hickory County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.84 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 44.39 in (+0.55) |
| 2025 | 38.84 in (-5.00) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1927: 61.63 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1980: 24.18 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BUFFALO 2N (22 mi away) | 12.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,480 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 46% |
| Built 2000 or later | 24% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $176,100 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, MO | 23 mi | 24% | 59% |
| Dallas County, MO | 24 mi | 22% | 66% |
| Benton County, MO | 25 mi | 41% | 28% |
| St. Clair County, MO | 26 mi | 23% | 33% |
| Camden County, MO | 31 mi | 34% | 22% |
| Cedar County, MO | 32 mi | 11% | 49% |
| Henry County, MO | 40 mi | 34% | 60% |
| Morgan County, MO | 41 mi | 28% | 46% |
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