Lincoln County, Missouri
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 64% of Lincoln County's mapped land, a higher share than 95% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 55%.
56.6% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 322 flood losses here since 2016, 10% of them in buildings with basements. 26% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1997.
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 Lincoln County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 63.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 55.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 62.5% |
| Mapped soil | 409,959 acres |
How we count · survey areas MO113 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.9% by land area here, and 62% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 64% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 56.6% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 64% of Lincoln County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 55% of Lincoln 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: 32.51 in, 8.55 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 41.06 in.
USDA rates 94% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
56.6% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 22 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 9 weeks, most recently on the March 3, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 56.6% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
322 flood losses since 2016, $7.6 million paid. The worst year was 2019, with 176. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 10% basements, 22% slabs, 14% crawl spaces, 54% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 38 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 11 |
| 2017 | 22 |
| 2018 | 39 |
| 2019 | 176 |
| 2020 | 24 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 14 |
| 2025 | 9 |
| 2026 to date | 4 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 41.06 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 32.51 in (-8.55) |
| 2025 | 31.85 in (-9.21) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 60.98 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 24.71 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ELSBERRY 1 S (12 mi away) | 10 |
Homes
| Housing units | 23,790 |
| Median year built | 1997 |
| Built before 1980 | 26% |
| Built 2000 or later | 45% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $244,300 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County, IL | 17 mi | 4% | 25% |
| Pike County, MO | 22 mi | 45% | 69% |
| Warren County, MO | 23 mi | 52% | 59% |
| St. Charles County, MO | 25 mi | 41% | 62% |
| Montgomery County, MO | 28 mi | 67% | 76% |
| Jersey County, IL | 32 mi | 22% | 53% |
| Greene County, IL | 37 mi | 20% | 51% |
| Pike County, IL | 39 mi | 9% | 56% |
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