Jefferson County, Nebraska
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 65% of Jefferson County's mapped land, a higher share than 95% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 15%.
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. 79% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1955.
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 Jefferson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 64.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 15.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 56.5% |
| Mapped soil | 368,448 acres |
How we count · survey areas NE095 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.2% 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 65% of the mapped land.
On 15% of Jefferson 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: 33.93 in, 3.24 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 30.69 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 3 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 61.6% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the April 7, 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 Jefferson County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 30.69 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 33.93 in (+3.24) |
| 2025 | 26.54 in (-4.15) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 44.74 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 15.12 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at FAIRBURY 5S (8 mi away) | 8.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,679 |
| Median year built | 1955 |
| Built before 1980 | 79% |
| Built 2000 or later | 8% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $129,500 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saline County, NE | 23 mi | 79% | 11% |
| Thayer County, NE | 23 mi | 68% | 6% |
| Gage County, NE | 25 mi | 81% | 88% |
| Washington County, KS | 28 mi | 67% | 6% |
| Fillmore County, NE | 33 mi | 91% | 25% |
| Republic County, KS | 36 mi | 69% | 3% |
| Marshall County, KS | 44 mi | 72% | 73% |
| Nuckolls County, NE | 47 mi | 67% | 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