Nemaha County, Nebraska
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 58% of Nemaha County's mapped land, a higher share than 94% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 48%.
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. 81% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1950.
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 Nemaha County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 58.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 48.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 84.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 39.2% |
| Mapped soil | 264,717 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Wymore | 16% | 100% |
| Pohocco | 13% | n/a |
| Yutan | 13% | n/a |
| Nodaway | 8% | n/a |
| Pawnee | 6% | n/a |
| Judson | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NE127 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.1% by land area here, and 39% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 58% of the mapped land.
On 48% of Nemaha 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: 33.33 in, 0.14 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 33.47 in.
USDA rates 85% 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 100% 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 Nemaha County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 33.47 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 33.33 in (-0.14) |
| 2025 | 32.85 in (-0.62) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1973: 53.60 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1988: 17.76 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at AUBURN 5 ESE (6 mi away) | 8.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,316 |
| Median year built | 1950 |
| Built before 1980 | 81% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 66% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $131,700 |
| Single-family detached | 78% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richardson County, NE | 20 mi | 58% | 42% |
| Johnson County, NE | 22 mi | 69% | 74% |
| Atchison County, MO | 22 mi | 30% | 36% |
| Otoe County, NE | 23 mi | 71% | 65% |
| Pawnee County, NE | 27 mi | 70% | 65% |
| Fremont County, IA | 28 mi | 22% | 39% |
| Holt County, MO | 39 mi | 30% | 41% |
| Cass County, NE | 39 mi | 71% | 21% |
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