Laclede County, Missouri
A shallow water table limits basements on 55% of Laclede County's mapped land, a higher share than 71% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 14%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 3 flood losses here since 2016. 44% 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 Laclede County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 14.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 55.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 90.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 18.2% |
| Mapped soil | 491,629 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Wilderness | 20% | n/a |
| Clarksville | 16% | 0% |
| Viraton | 12% | n/a |
| Poynor | 8% | n/a |
| Ocie | 8% | n/a |
| Gatewood | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MO105 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 55% of Laclede 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: 42.65 in, 1.90 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 44.55 in.
USDA rates 91% 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 25 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 9 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 | 96.1% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
3 flood losses since 2016, $28,052 paid. The worst year was 2022, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 44.55 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.65 in (-1.90) |
| 2025 | 39.49 in (-5.06) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1927: 70.01 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1953: 24.61 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LEBANON 2W (6 mi away) | 14.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 16,012 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 44% |
| Built 2000 or later | 28% |
| Owner-occupied | 68% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $168,400 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County, MO | 24 mi | 22% | 66% |
| Pulaski County, MO | 24 mi | 9% | 41% |
| Camden County, MO | 27 mi | 34% | 22% |
| Wright County, MO | 28 mi | 5% | 47% |
| Webster County, MO | 30 mi | 20% | 68% |
| Miller County, MO | 40 mi | 23% | 44% |
| Texas County, MO | 42 mi | 15% | 55% |
| Hickory County, MO | 44 mi | 51% | 26% |
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