Hickory County, Missouri · Hermitage
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Pipes freeze in Hickory County on about 24 nights a year, mostly December to February. Older homes, 14% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 11.2 times a year here, most often in May. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Backups often follow heavy rain, which Hickory County gets about 11.2 days a year, when storm water overloads sewer mains and pushes up through the lowest drain in the house.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 75 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
45% of occupied homes in Hickory County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Missouri county median of 24.5%.
About 68 nights a year here stay at 65°F or warmer, so basements and crawl spaces can grow mold even without a leak.
Local risk profile
About 8,585 people live in Hickory County, 399 square miles in central Missouri, in roughly 5,480 homes. Hermitage is the county seat; Weaubleau, Cross Timbers and Preston are the next largest communities. The county's median home was built in 1983.
38/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Hickory County ranks 99 of 114 Missouri counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Hickory County ranks highest compared with other Missouri counties.
For frozen pipes, Hickory County is a typical Missouri county, which is still plenty. From 2015–2024 it averaged 24 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 89 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 70th of 114 counties.
The longest cold spell was straight 13 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.
The freeze season here runs December to February, with January the coldest. If you travel then, leave the thermostat at 55°F or above and open sink cabinets on outside walls.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Oct 27 and the last spring freeze around Apr 9.
Rainfall is about average for Missouri. Of roughly 44.6 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 11.2 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 46th of 114. May, June and July see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 4.39 inches, August 6, 2017. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 6.43 inches (through December 29, 2015).
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 75 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
46% of homes in Hickory County predate 1980, below the Missouri county median of 53%, which ranks 84th of Missouri's 114 counties.
Older and newer homes sit side by side here: 14% predate 1960 and 24% are from 2000 or later. Corroded pipe is the typical failure in the first group, burst supply hoses in the second.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 30% 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.
27% of homes are manufactured or mobile homes, above the Missouri county median of 9.8%. Their water lines run under the floor behind the skirting, so a torn skirt or failed heat tape freezes them faster than lines in a site-built house.
With 34% of homes empty at survey time, landlords and seasonal owners should shut off the main or schedule checks in winter. An unheated vacant house is also where many policies limit freeze coverage.
Beyond water
Hickory County averages 68 warm, muggy nights a year (lows of 65°F or more) and gets the most rain in May. Keep indoor humidity under 60%, as the EPA advises, and dry any leak within 24 to 48 hours; in a humid month a wet basement left alone won't dry by itself.
Mold remediation: what to expectHeating fuel matters for fire risk. In Hickory County it's 3% utility gas, 43% electric, 29% propane and 17% wood. Wood and propane heat are more common here than in most Missouri counties. Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires nationally, and the NFPA recommends having chimneys and vents inspected every year.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Hickory County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Benton and Dallas get more pipe-freeze nights than Hickory. St. Clair County has the oldest housing nearby, with 53% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Hickory | Missouri median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 14% | 25% | 102 of 114 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 46% | 53% | 84 of 114 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 24% | 21% | 38 of 114 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 27% | 9.8% | 3 of 114 |
| Vacant homes | 34% | 15% | 5 of 114 |
| Wood or propane heat | 45% | 25% | 13 of 114 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 24/yr | 28/yr | 70 of 114 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 11/yr | 10/yr | 46 of 114 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 75/yr | 77/yr | 72 of 114 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 68/yr | 65/yr | 37 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 Hickory County: freezing from December to February, heavy rain in May, June and July.
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