Hamilton County, Nebraska
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 78% of Hamilton County's mapped land, a higher share than 99% of US counties and the 6th highest of 93 Nebraska counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 11%.
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. 65% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1973.
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 Hamilton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 77.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 11.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 76.8% |
| Mapped soil | 349,760 acres |
How we count · survey areas NE081 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.8% by land area here, and 77% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 78% of the mapped land.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 24.56 in, 3.67 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 28.23 in.
USDA rates 89% 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 34 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 15 weeks, most recently on the June 9, 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 Hamilton County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 28.23 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 24.56 in (-3.67) |
| 2025 | 25.26 in (-2.97) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1915: 43.10 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 14.22 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BRADSHAW (14 mi away) | 6.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,133 |
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Built before 1980 | 65% |
| Built 2000 or later | 17% |
| Owner-occupied | 83% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $253,700 |
| Single-family detached | 87% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merrick County, NE | 20 mi | 3% | 53% |
| York County, NE | 22 mi | 83% | 12% |
| Clay County, NE | 24 mi | 83% | 17% |
| Hall County, NE | 25 mi | 24% | 28% |
| Polk County, NE | 32 mi | 57% | 18% |
| Fillmore County, NE | 33 mi | 91% | 25% |
| Howard County, NE | 35 mi | 2% | 14% |
| Adams County, NE | 35 mi | 40% | 7% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status