McCurtain County, Oklahoma
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 37% of McCurtain County's mapped land, a higher share than 85% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 28%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 21 flood losses here since 2016. 45% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1983.
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 McCurtain County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 37.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 28.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 84.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 37.3% |
| Mapped soil | 1,216,429 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Carnasaw | 16% | 86% |
| Clebit | 16% | n/a |
| Stapp | 7% | n/a |
| Sherwood | 6% | n/a |
| Ruston | 5% | n/a |
| Guyton | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas OK089 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.5% by land area here, and 37% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 37% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 37% of McCurtain County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 28% of McCurtain 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: 42.18 in, 11.48 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 53.66 in.
USDA rates 84% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 50 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 16 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 71.1% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
21 flood losses since 2016, $454,887 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 5 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 53.66 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.18 in (-11.48) |
| 2025 | 52.43 in (-1.23) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2015: 79.21 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1896: 28.94 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BROKEN BOW 1 N (5 mi away) | 18.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 14,013 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 45% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $144,500 |
| Single-family detached | 76% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sevier County, AR | 31 mi | 20% | 56% |
| Red River County, TX | 38 mi | 61% | 40% |
| Polk County, AR | 40 mi | 5% | 14% |
| Pushmataha County, OK | 41 mi | 27% | 26% |
| Little River County, AR | 42 mi | 36% | 60% |
| Howard County, AR | 44 mi | 21% | 31% |
| Choctaw County, OK | 46 mi | 47% | 36% |
| Bowie County, TX | 50 mi | 32% | 60% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status