Richardson County, Nebraska
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 58% of Richardson County's mapped land, a higher share than 94% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 42%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 11 flood losses here since 2016. 85% 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 Richardson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 58.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 42.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 44.5% |
| Mapped soil | 355,143 acres |
How we count · survey areas NE147 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.9% by land area here, and 44% 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 42% of Richardson 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: 32.84 in, 0.88 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 33.72 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, on the March 31, 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
11 flood losses since 2016, $162,275 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 4.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 33.72 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 32.84 in (-0.88) |
| 2025 | 32.47 in (-1.25) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1973: 55.82 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1988: 16.63 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at FALLS CITY BRENNER FLD (7 mi away) | 8.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,073 |
| Median year built | 1950 |
| Built before 1980 | 85% |
| Built 2000 or later | 8% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $100,300 |
| Single-family detached | 91% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nemaha County, NE | 20 mi | 58% | 48% |
| Brown County, KS | 22 mi | 77% | 60% |
| Atchison County, MO | 26 mi | 30% | 36% |
| Holt County, MO | 26 mi | 30% | 41% |
| Nemaha County, KS | 28 mi | 75% | 70% |
| Pawnee County, NE | 28 mi | 70% | 65% |
| Johnson County, NE | 34 mi | 69% | 74% |
| Doniphan County, KS | 38 mi | 27% | 15% |
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