Reynolds County, Missouri
A shallow water table limits basements on 22% of Reynolds County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 7%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 30 flood losses here since 2016. 61% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1975.
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 Reynolds County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 6.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 22.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 82.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 6.5% |
| Mapped soil | 521,043 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Clarksville | 17% | 0% |
| Scholten | 12% | n/a |
| Alred | 10% | n/a |
| Rueter | 8% | n/a |
| Poynor | 7% | n/a |
| Tilk | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MO179 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 22% of Reynolds 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: 34.39 in, 13.92 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.31 in.
USDA rates 82% 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 43 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 14 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 | 87.3% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
30 flood losses since 2016, $1.7 million paid. The worst year was 2017, with 22. Median water depth outside the building: 21 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 22 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 7 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.31 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.39 in (-13.92) |
| 2025 | 38.16 in (-10.15) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1945: 66.18 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1953: 23.15 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CLEARWATER DAM (19 mi away) | 13.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,461 |
| Median year built | 1975 |
| Built before 1980 | 61% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $151,700 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron County, MO | 23 mi | 8% | 42% |
| Shannon County, MO | 27 mi | 10% | 29% |
| Carter County, MO | 29 mi | 2% | 18% |
| Dent County, MO | 33 mi | 1% | 44% |
| Wayne County, MO | 33 mi | 5% | 32% |
| Madison County, MO | 35 mi | 6% | 38% |
| Washington County, MO | 40 mi | 27% | 25% |
| St. Francois County, MO | 41 mi | 15% | 40% |
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