Washington County, Kansas · Washington
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Washington County averages 46 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly November to March, and 60% of its homes predate 1960.
Basements flood here mostly in May. Washington County averages 7.1 days a year with an inch of rain or more.
Sewage backups in Washington County spike on heavy-rain days, about 7.1 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 100 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
23% of occupied homes in Washington County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Kansas county median of 16.9%.
Muggy summer nights, lows of 65°F or more, come about 54 times a year in Washington County. Mold after a leak spreads fastest from June through August.
Local risk profile
Washington County covers 895 square miles of northeast Kansas, with about 5,533 residents and 2,714 homes. The county seat is Washington, and Hanover, Linn and Clifton round out the largest towns. It has some of the oldest housing in the state: the median home went up in 1953.
67/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Washington County ranks 1 of 105 Kansas counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Washington County ranks highest compared with other Kansas counties.
Washington County gets more hard-freeze nights than most of Kansas. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 46 nights a year at or below 20°F (32nd of 105) and 125 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
The longest cold spell was straight 13 days without the temperature rising above freezing, ending in February 2021. The coldest night reached about -21°F on February 16, 2021. Burst pipes usually show up when a spell like that breaks and the ice thaws.
The freeze season here runs November to March, with January the coldest. If you travel then, leave the thermostat at 55°F or above and open sink cabinets on outside walls.
Freezing nights typically start around Oct 23 and end around Apr 18.
Rainfall is about average for Kansas. The county gets about 31.2 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 7.1 days of an inch or more (48th of 105). Those downpours cluster in May, June and August, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 2.89 inches on September 22, 2019. The worst three-day stretch dropped 5.43 inches, ending September 5, 2018, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 100 times a year here. They're the main driver of ice dams and of water working its way through foundation cracks in late winter.
Housing
80% of homes in Washington County predate 1980, above the Kansas county median of 73.7%, which ranks 23rd of Kansas's 105 counties.
60% were built before 1960. Homes from that era often still have galvanized steel supply pipe, which rusts from the inside until it pinholes, and cast iron drains that crack with age. Slow leaks behind walls are a common start to water damage in these houses.
Beyond water
Washington County averages 54 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in May. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30 to 50%. Basements can pass 60% on their own in summer, so a dehumidifier matters even without a leak, and anything wet should be dried within 24 to 48 hours.
Mold remediation: what to expectBy main heating fuel, Washington County homes break down as 58% utility gas, 15% electric, 20% propane and 3% wood. Wood and propane heat are above the Kansas norm. Annual chimney and vent inspection, which the NFPA recommends, is one of the most effective fire-prevention habits for these homes.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Washington County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Marshall gets more pipe-freeze nights than Washington. Republic County has the oldest housing nearby, with 86% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Washington | Kansas median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 60% | 48% | 11 of 105 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 80% | 74% | 23 of 105 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 8.7% | 11% | 72 of 105 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 2.6% | 5.6% | 93 of 105 |
| Vacant homes | 13% | 15% | 65 of 105 |
| Wood or propane heat | 23% | 17% | 33 of 105 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 46/yr | 39/yr | 32 of 105 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 7.1/yr | 6.8/yr | 48 of 105 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 100/yr | 97/yr | 49 of 105 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 54/yr | 59/yr | 61 of 105 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Kansas county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Washington County: freezing from November to March, heavy rain in May, June and August.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology