Laurel County, KY Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Laurel County, KY

Low

Soil across 73.7% of Laurel County, KY comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 2.25% linear extensibility. Among the 3,144 counties on this site, that's the clean result: little shrink-swell movement, standard construction the likely outcome.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Laurel County, KY - never a reading for one specific parcel. A local geotechnical report, typically $1,000-$5,000 (around $2,700 typical), is the only way to know what one lot in Laurel County will actually do.

Laurel County: the real numbers

Laurel 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.

Where this sits nationally

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Laurel County, KY ranks 1,754 most-constrained nationally, and 71 of 120 within Kentucky. Laurel County, KY is 434 square miles with a population of 63,353.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Jerome County, ID and Gage County, NE 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 Kentucky

Every county in Kentucky is on this site, including Allen County, KY and Boone County, KY. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.