HomeMissouriMississippi County
Mississippi County, Missouri
A shallow water table limits basements on 85% of Mississippi County's mapped land, a higher share than 92% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 33%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 4 flood losses here since 2016. 64% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1973.
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 Mississippi County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 33.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 84.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 35.4% |
| Mapped soil | 274,323 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Sharkey | 23% | 99% |
| Commerce | 10% | n/a |
| Clana | 9% | n/a |
| Caruthersville | 8% | n/a |
| Lilbourn | 6% | n/a |
| Malden | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MO133 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.4% by land area here, and 35% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 33% of the mapped land.
On 85% of Mississippi 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: 39.47 in, 10.61 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.08 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 26 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 weeks, most recently on the June 2, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 47.5% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
4 flood losses since 2016, $0 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.08 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.47 in (-10.61) |
| 2025 | 53.77 in (+3.69) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1957: 76.01 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 32.08 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SIKESTON PWR STN (18 mi away) | 15.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,272 |
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 63% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $109,000 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlisle County, KY | 18 mi | 3% | 72% |
| Fulton County, KY | 20 mi | 15% | 65% |
| Hickman County, KY | 21 mi | 3% | 77% |
| Scott County, MO | 21 mi | 16% | 58% |
| Ballard County, KY | 22 mi | 2% | 67% |
| Alexander County, IL | 25 mi | 19% | 48% |
| New Madrid County, MO | 26 mi | 35% | 84% |
| Pulaski County, IL | 28 mi | 10% | 72% |
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