Hot Springs County, Wyoming
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 17% of Hot Springs County's mapped land, a higher share than 66% of US counties and the 8th highest of 22 Wyoming counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 3%.
The soil survey maps 32% of the county's land area; these shares describe the mapped part. 100% 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 1974.
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 Hot Springs County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 17.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 2.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 84.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 24.2% |
| Mapped soil | 415,321 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Razsun-like | 4% | n/a |
| Hiland | 3% | n/a |
| Bunkwater | 3% | n/a |
| Absarook | 2% | n/a |
| Samday-like | 2% | n/a |
| Maysdorf-like | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas WY617 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.3% by land area here, and 24% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 17% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 17% of Hot Springs County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 11.13 in, 2.18 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 13.31 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 39 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 29 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 | 98.8% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 88.8% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Hot Springs County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 13.31 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 11.13 in (-2.18) |
| 2025 | 14.32 in (+1.01) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2023: 19.73 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 6.71 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at THERMOPOLIS (13 mi away) | 1.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,461 |
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Built before 1980 | 63% |
| Built 2000 or later | 13% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $227,500 |
| Single-family detached | 72% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washakie County, WY | 40 mi | 5% | 2% |
| Fremont County, WY | 47 mi | 4% | 3% |
| Big Horn County, WY | 60 mi | 12% | 4% |
| Park County, WY | 78 mi | 12% | 9% |
| Johnson County, WY | 95 mi | 18% | 1% |
| Natrona County, WY | 98 mi | 17% | 1% |
| Sublette County, WY | 99 mi | 8% | 13% |
| Teton County, WY | 102 mi | 7% | 6% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 4, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status