Dallas County, Missouri · Buffalo
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Pipes freeze in Dallas County on about 26 nights a year, mostly December to February. Older homes, 21% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Basements flood here mostly in May. Dallas County averages 11.7 days a year with an inch of rain or more.
Sewage backups in Dallas County spike on heavy-rain days, about 11.7 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Dallas County's wettest day in the 2015–2024 record brought 4.76 inches, and about 79 freeze-thaw days a year mean ice dams in some winters.
42% of occupied homes in Dallas County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Missouri county median of 24.5%.
With 62 muggy nights a year, mold in Dallas County can appear within days of a leak. Dry first, then clean.
Local risk profile
About 17,551 people live in Dallas County, 541 square miles in southern Missouri, in roughly 7,613 homes. The county seat is Buffalo, and Urbana and Louisburg round out the largest towns. The county's median home was built in 1981.
45/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Dallas County ranks 76 of 114 Missouri counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Dallas County ranks highest compared with other Missouri counties.
For frozen pipes, Dallas County is a typical Missouri county, which is still plenty. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 26 nights a year at or below 20°F (62nd of 114) and 92 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
The longest cold spell was straight 12 days without the temperature rising above freezing, ending in February 2021. The coldest night reached about -14°F on February 16, 2021. Burst pipes usually show up when a spell like that breaks and the ice thaws.
Most freezing nights fall from December to February, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Oct 25 and the last spring freeze around Apr 10.
Rainfall is about average for Missouri. The county gets about 46.9 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 11.7 days of an inch or more (39th of 114). Those downpours cluster in May, July and August, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 4.76 inches on April 30, 2017. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 8 inches (through December 29, 2015).
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 79 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
Missouri's 114 counties range widely in housing age; Dallas ranks 70th, with 49% of its homes built before 1980.
Since 2000 the county has added enough housing that 26% of homes are that new. Modern PEX and copper rarely fail on their own; the leaks come from connections, appliances and storms.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 25% of the county's homes. If yours is from those decades, look under the sinks and at the water heater for gray plastic pipe stamped PB, which is polybutylene and leak-prone.
Manufactured and mobile homes make up 14% of the housing here. Water lines in the underbelly depend on intact skirting and working heat tape, and they're usually the first to freeze in a cold snap.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 62 times a year here, close to the Missouri county median of 64.5. 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 expectHeating fuel matters for fire risk. In Dallas County it's 3% utility gas, 52% electric, 23% propane and 19% wood. Wood and propane heat are more common here than the state median. Have chimneys swept and fuel-burning appliances serviced each fall, and keep three feet clear around stoves and space heaters.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Dallas County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Dallas gets more pipe-freeze nights than any of its neighbors. Its housing is the oldest in the area by share of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Dallas | Missouri median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 21% | 25% | 79 of 114 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 49% | 53% | 70 of 114 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 26% | 21% | 30 of 114 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 14% | 9.8% | 25 of 114 |
| Vacant homes | 11% | 15% | 87 of 114 |
| Wood or propane heat | 42% | 25% | 17 of 114 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 26/yr | 28/yr | 62 of 114 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 12/yr | 10/yr | 39 of 114 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 79/yr | 77/yr | 44 of 114 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 62/yr | 65/yr | 63 of 114 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Missouri county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Dallas County: freezing from December to February, heavy rain in May, July 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