Merrick County, Nebraska
A shallow water table limits basements on 53% of Merrick County's mapped land, a higher share than 69% of US counties and the 5th highest of 93 Nebraska counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
None 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. 66% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1970.
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 Merrick County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 53.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 87.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.4% |
| Mapped soil | 317,428 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Valentine | 7% | 0% |
| Leshara | 6% | n/a |
| Oneill | 6% | n/a |
| Lex | 5% | n/a |
| Janude | 5% | n/a |
| Lockton | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NE121 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 53% of Merrick 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: 22.97 in, 4.68 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 27.65 in.
USDA rates 87% 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 35 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 14 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 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
2 flood losses since 2016, $0 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 27.65 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 22.97 in (-4.68) |
| 2025 | 26.13 in (-1.52) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1915: 39.90 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2012: 14.21 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CENTRAL CITY (3 mi away) | 6.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,598 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 66% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $175,900 |
| Single-family detached | 86% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nance County, NE | 16 mi | 6% | 14% |
| Hamilton County, NE | 20 mi | 78% | 11% |
| Polk County, NE | 24 mi | 57% | 18% |
| Howard County, NE | 25 mi | 2% | 14% |
| York County, NE | 31 mi | 83% | 12% |
| Hall County, NE | 32 mi | 24% | 28% |
| Boone County, NE | 37 mi | 2% | 5% |
| Greeley County, NE | 38 mi | under 1% | 4% |
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