Wright County, Missouri
A shallow water table limits basements on 47% of Wright County's mapped land, a higher share than 64% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
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. 53% 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 Wright County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 47.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.8% |
| Mapped soil | 436,672 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Clarksville | 24% | 0% |
| Viraton | 18% | n/a |
| Wilderness | 17% | n/a |
| Poynor | 13% | n/a |
| Cedargap | 6% | n/a |
| Scholten | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MO229 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 47% of Wright 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: 42.16 in, 3.53 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.69 in.
USDA rates 89% 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 29 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 | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 100% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2 flood losses since 2016, $2,511 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 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 | 45.69 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.16 in (-3.53) |
| 2025 | 39.36 in (-6.33) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1927: 71.66 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1953: 22.56 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MANSFIELD (12 mi away) | 13.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,367 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 53% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $160,100 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webster County, MO | 22 mi | 20% | 68% |
| Douglas County, MO | 22 mi | 18% | 48% |
| Laclede County, MO | 28 mi | 14% | 55% |
| Texas County, MO | 29 mi | 15% | 55% |
| Pulaski County, MO | 41 mi | 9% | 41% |
| Dallas County, MO | 42 mi | 22% | 66% |
| Ozark County, MO | 43 mi | 36% | 43% |
| Christian County, MO | 44 mi | 10% | 42% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 28, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status