Brown County, Nebraska
A shallow water table limits basements on 17% of Brown County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
21% 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. 78% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1959.
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 Brown County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 16.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 0.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.1% |
| Mapped soil | 781,728 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Valentine | 61% | 0% |
| Els | 6% | n/a |
| Ipage | 3% | n/a |
| Simeon | 3% | n/a |
| Johnstown | 3% | n/a |
| Tryon | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NE017 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 17% of Brown 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: 23.09 in, 1.27 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 24.36 in.
USDA rates 98% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
21% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 42 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 20 weeks, most recently on the August 4, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 86.2% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 21% |
| 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 Brown County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 24.36 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 23.09 in (-1.27) |
| 2025 | 27.85 in (+3.49) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1915: 41.51 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1989: 12.16 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ELSMERE 9 ENE (14 mi away) | 6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,656 |
| Median year built | 1959 |
| Built before 1980 | 78% |
| Built 2000 or later | 7% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $113,900 |
| Single-family detached | 83% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock County, NE | 26 mi | 1% | 37% |
| Blaine County, NE | 30 mi | under 1% | 19% |
| Keya Paha County, NE | 37 mi | 8% | 15% |
| Loup County, NE | 38 mi | under 1% | 12% |
| Thomas County, NE | 46 mi | 0% | 5% |
| Holt County, NE | 59 mi | 2% | 41% |
| Garfield County, NE | 59 mi | under 1% | 24% |
| Cherry County, NE | 59 mi | under 1% | 16% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 3, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status