Wheeler County, Nebraska
A shallow water table limits basements on 31% of Wheeler County's mapped land, a higher share than 50% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
8.6% 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. 63% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1975.
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 Wheeler County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 30.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 0.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 368,064 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Valentine | 55% | 0% |
| Els | 9% | n/a |
| Loup | 7% | n/a |
| Dunday | 6% | n/a |
| Elsmere | 5% | n/a |
| Ipage | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NE183 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 31% of Wheeler 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: 23.69 in, 3.08 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 26.77 in.
USDA rates 98% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
8.6% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 38 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 26 weeks, most recently on the August 18, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 88.4% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 8.6% |
| 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 Wheeler County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 26.77 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 23.69 in (-3.08) |
| 2025 | 30.16 in (+3.39) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2007: 36.91 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1936: 13.92 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ERICSON 8 WNW (18 mi away) | 6.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 588 |
| Median year built | 1975 |
| Built before 1980 | 63% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $146,500 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garfield County, NE | 22 mi | under 1% | 24% |
| Greeley County, NE | 25 mi | under 1% | 4% |
| Boone County, NE | 28 mi | 2% | 5% |
| Antelope County, NE | 30 mi | 1% | 8% |
| Valley County, NE | 34 mi | 1% | 8% |
| Holt County, NE | 39 mi | 2% | 41% |
| Nance County, NE | 45 mi | 6% | 14% |
| Madison County, NE | 47 mi | 7% | 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