St. Francois County, MO Shrink-Swell Risk
Shrink-swell potential in St. Francois County, MO
Low
Soil across 68.9% of St. Francois County, MO comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 2.69% linear extensibility. That's as favorable a county-level reading as this dataset produces - standard foundation practice, pending one lot's own geotechnical report.
What this number does and doesn't tell you
This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in St. Francois County, MO - 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).
St. Francois County: the real numbers
St. Francois 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, St. Francois County, MO ranks 1,419 most-constrained nationally, and 84 of 114 within Missouri. St. Francois County covers 452 square miles and counts 67,503 residents.
Before you act on this
Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Washington County, WI and Atascosa County, TX 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 Missouri
Every county in Missouri is on this site, including Jefferson County, MO and Holt County, MO. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.