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DeSoto County, Mississippi

A shallow water table limits basements on 66% of DeSoto County's mapped land, a higher share than 79% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.

100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 39 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 18% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1999.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

3%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

66%

high water table: limits basements

100%

in drought, October 13, 2026

18%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under DeSoto County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)3.5%
High water table (limits basements)66.1%
Septic fields very limited85.6%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)2.4%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)3.5%
Mapped soil316,700 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: high water table
Loring18%99%
Collins17%n/a
Falaya10%n/a
Grenada7%n/a
Memphis6%0%
Dundee3%n/a
Tate County: 59%Shelby County: 61%Tunica County: 81%Crittenden County: 77%Marshall County: 56%Panola County: 64%Fayette County: 71%St. Francis County: 83%DeSoto County TateShelbyTunicaCrittendenMarshallPanolaFayetteSt. FrancisDeSoto
DeSoto County (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by high water table share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas MS033 (2025-09-04)

What the numbers mean here

On 66% of DeSoto 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: 45.21 in, 10.64 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 55.85 in.

USDA rates 86% 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 34 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 15 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse100%
D1 moderate drought or worse100%
D2 severe or worse92.5%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

39 flood losses since 2016, $1.3 million paid. The worst year was 2019, with 12. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 100% slabs. Median water depth outside the building: 8 in.

YearFlood losses
20165
20173
20180
201912
20203
20212
20224
20232
20243
20255
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202055.85 in
12 months to August 202645.21 in (-10.64)
202555.75 in (-0.10)
Wettest year since 18952019: 76.99 in
Driest year since 18951901: 36.52 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PLEASANT HILL (4 mi away)18.7

Homes

Housing units75,437
Median year built1999
Built before 198018%
Built 2000 or later47%
Owner-occupied78%
Median value, owner-occupied$269,600
Single-family detached83%

What repairs cost

Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.

WorkRangeSource
Basement waterproofing, US $3,000 to $10,000 Fixr, February 6, 2026
Sump pump installation, US $800 to $2,000 Fixr, January 31, 2025
Crawl space encapsulation, US $2,000 to $8,000 Fixr, August 29, 2025

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Tate County, MS 16 mi 2% 59%
Shelby County, TN 22 mi 4% 61%
Tunica County, MS 27 mi 68% 81%
Crittenden County, AR 28 mi 62% 77%
Marshall County, MS 29 mi 2% 56%
Panola County, MS 35 mi 5% 64%
Fayette County, TN 40 mi 0% 71%
St. Francis County, AR 44 mi 32% 83%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 4, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status