Putnam County, Missouri
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 76% of Putnam County's mapped land, a higher share than 98% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 74%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses here since 2016. 57% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1976.
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 Putnam County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 76.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 74.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 99.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 56.0% |
| Mapped soil | 333,101 acres |
How we count · survey areas MO171 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.4% by land area here, and 56% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 76% of the mapped land.
On 74% of Putnam 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: 36.91 in, 2.25 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 39.16 in.
USDA rates 99% 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 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, on the March 3, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
1 flood losses since 2016, $3,122 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 39.16 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.91 in (-2.25) |
| 2025 | 34.22 in (-4.94) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2008: 63.33 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1988: 20.25 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MILAN (18 mi away) | 10.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,834 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 57% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 83% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $119,500 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sullivan County, MO | 19 mi | 82% | 61% |
| Appanoose County, IA | 20 mi | 69% | 78% |
| Wayne County, IA | 25 mi | 77% | 80% |
| Schuyler County, MO | 26 mi | 72% | 84% |
| Mercer County, MO | 29 mi | 79% | 62% |
| Adair County, MO | 29 mi | 68% | 95% |
| Davis County, IA | 37 mi | 74% | 80% |
| Grundy County, MO | 38 mi | 75% | 78% |
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