Scotland County, Missouri
A shallow water table limits basements on 76% of Scotland County's mapped land, a higher share than 86% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 70%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1971.
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 Scotland County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 70.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 76.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 99.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 56.5% |
| Mapped soil | 280,877 acres |
How we count · survey areas MO199 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.3% 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 70% of the mapped land.
On 76% of Scotland 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: 33.62 in, 6.06 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 39.68 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 18 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 6 weeks, most recently on the March 31, 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
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Scotland County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 39.68 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 33.62 in (-6.06) |
| 2025 | 32.94 in (-6.74) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1973: 64.14 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1901: 20.14 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MEMPHIS (2 mi away) | 10.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,201 |
| Median year built | 1971 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $158,800 |
| Single-family detached | 81% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schuyler County, MO | 20 mi | 72% | 84% |
| Knox County, MO | 21 mi | 81% | 85% |
| Clark County, MO | 22 mi | 58% | 78% |
| Van Buren County, IA | 23 mi | 70% | 82% |
| Davis County, IA | 25 mi | 74% | 80% |
| Adair County, MO | 30 mi | 68% | 95% |
| Lewis County, MO | 33 mi | 63% | 81% |
| Lee County, IA | 38 mi | 61% | 77% |
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