Washington County, AR Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Washington County, AR

Low

Soil across 64% of Washington County, AR comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 2.49% 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 Washington County, AR - 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 Washington County will actually do.

Washington County: the real numbers

Washington 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.

Washington County's rank among Arkansas counties

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Washington County, AR ranks 1,568 most-constrained nationally, and 46 of 75 within Arkansas. Washington County, AR is 941 square miles with a population of 266,184.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Morgan County, WV and Franklin County, TN 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 Arkansas

Every county in Arkansas is on this site, including Searcy County, AR and Cleburne County, AR. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.