Fayette County, IL Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Fayette County, IL

Moderate

Soil across 62.2% of Fayette County, IL comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 3.43% linear extensibility. A real but modest amount of movement - standard foundations usually hold up, but drainage and moisture control around the foundation still matter more than on low-risk soil.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Fayette County, IL - never a reading for one specific parcel. The real answer for one lot is still a site-specific geotechnical report, running about $1,000-$5,000 (typically near $2,700).

Fayette County: the real numbers

Fayette County's soil reading points toward standard foundation practice as the likely outcome, not the exception. A geotechnical report runs $1,000-$5,000, typically around $2,700. Foundation repair, if a specific lot turns out to differ from the county average, runs $5,000-$15,000.

Fayette County's rank among Illinois counties

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Fayette County, IL ranks 889 most-constrained nationally, and 71 of 101 within Illinois. Fayette County covers 716 square miles and counts 21,157 residents.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Putnam County, MO and Summit County, OH are worth a look for comparison.

How this reading is built, and its real limits · Moisture management: the cheap fix that works on any soil

Elsewhere in Illinois

Every county in Illinois is on this site, including Jackson County, IL and Adams County, IL. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.