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Platte County, Nebraska

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 11% of Platte County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 13%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.

FEMA's flood data list 20 flood losses here since 2016. 64% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1973.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

11%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

13%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

64%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Platte County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)11.0%
High water table (limits basements)13.0%
Septic fields very limited63.8%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)3.9%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)10.6%
Mapped soil441,049 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Moody17%2%
Nora17%n/a
Crofton13%n/a
Alcester7%n/a
Belfore7%n/a
Hobbs6%n/a
Colfax County: 10%Madison County: 7%Polk County: 57%Nance County: 6%Stanton County: 4%Boone County: 2%Butler County: 57%Merrick County: 3%Platte County ColfaxMadisonPolkNanceStantonBooneButlerMerrickPlatte
Platte County (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by expansive clay share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas NE141 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 23.97 in, 4.03 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 28.00 in.

USDA rates 64% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 11% and a shallow water table on 13% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Platte County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

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 40 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 14 weeks, most recently on the July 28, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse9.3%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

20 flood losses since 2016, $1.0 million paid. The worst year was 2019, with 13.

YearFlood losses
20160
20172
20182
201913
20200
20210
20222
20230
20240
20251
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202028.00 in
12 months to August 202623.97 in (-4.03)
202530.25 in (+2.25)
Wettest year since 18952007: 39.14 in
Driest year since 18951936: 13.51 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at COLUMBUS 3 NE (12 mi away)7

Homes

Housing units14,325
Median year built1973
Built before 198064%
Built 2000 or later18%
Owner-occupied72%
Median value, owner-occupied$223,900
Single-family detached77%

What repairs cost

Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.

WorkRangeSource
Foundation repair, US $2,200 to $8,200 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Pier-and-beam repair, US $2,000 to $15,000 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Foundation inspection, US $300 to $600 Fixr, January 31, 2025

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Colfax County, NE 22 mi 10% 20%
Madison County, NE 23 mi 7% 15%
Polk County, NE 27 mi 57% 18%
Nance County, NE 28 mi 6% 14%
Stanton County, NE 29 mi 4% 9%
Boone County, NE 30 mi 2% 5%
Butler County, NE 31 mi 57% 21%
Merrick County, NE 39 mi 3% 53%

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