Oregon County, Missouri
A shallow water table limits basements on 33% of Oregon County's mapped land, a higher share than 51% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 11%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016. 54% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Oregon County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 11.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 32.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 69.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 17.1% |
| Mapped soil | 506,938 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Alred | 14% | n/a |
| Clarksville | 12% | 0% |
| Scholten | 12% | n/a |
| Poynor | 11% | n/a |
| Tonti | 5% | n/a |
| Bendavis | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MO149 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 33% of Oregon 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: 34.97 in, 13.70 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.67 in.
USDA rates 69% 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 52 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 35 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 | 90.2% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2 flood losses since 2016, $105,653 paid. The worst year was 2022, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.67 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.97 in (-13.70) |
| 2025 | 49.39 in (+0.72) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1927: 71.09 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1953: 25.91 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MAMMOTH SPRING (15 mi away) | 14.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,321 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 54% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $113,300 |
| Single-family detached | 74% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howell County, MO | 28 mi | 7% | 36% |
| Ripley County, MO | 30 mi | 16% | 33% |
| Carter County, MO | 31 mi | 2% | 18% |
| Fulton County, AR | 31 mi | 66% | 3% |
| Randolph County, AR | 32 mi | 40% | 40% |
| Shannon County, MO | 32 mi | 10% | 29% |
| Sharp County, AR | 35 mi | 48% | 4% |
| Lawrence County, AR | 47 mi | 29% | 62% |
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