Scotland County, Missouri · Memphis
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Pipes freeze in Scotland County on about 45 nights a year, mostly November to March. Older homes, 38% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 8.1 times a year here, most often in September. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Scotland County spike on heavy-rain days, about 8.1 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 86 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
47% of occupied homes in Scotland County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Missouri county median of 24.5%.
About 46 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 4,686 people live in Scotland County, 437 square miles in northern Missouri, in roughly 2,201 homes. The county seat is Memphis, and Rutledge, South Gorin and Granger round out the largest towns. Half the homes here were built before 1971, half after.
56/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Scotland County ranks 37 of 114 Missouri counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Scotland County ranks highest compared with other Missouri counties.
Scotland County gets more hard-freeze nights than most of Missouri. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 45 nights a year at or below 20°F (9th of 114) and 119 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
Cold snaps are the real risk. The worst in the record lasted 16 days below freezing (ending January 2018), and the low bottomed out near -17°F on January 31, 2019.
Expect the hardest freezes in January, inside a season that runs November to March. That's when an outdoor spigot left connected to a hose, or a pipe in a crawl space, is most likely to split.
Freezing nights typically start around Oct 23 and end around Apr 18.
Scotland gets fewer downpours than most Missouri counties, but they still fill basements. Of roughly 38.6 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 8.1 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 106th of 114. June, August and September see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 3.99 inches, June 25, 2015. The worst three-day stretch dropped 5.38 inches, ending June 25, 2015, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 86 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
Roughly 62% of the county's housing was built before 1980. That puts Scotland among the oldest housing stocks of Missouri's 114 counties.
38% 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.
30% of homes were vacant at survey time. A leak in an empty rental or seasonal house can run for days before anyone notices, which is why those losses tend to be larger.
Beyond water
About 46 nights a year in Scotland County stay at 65°F or warmer, a sign of muggy summer air (102nd of 114 counties). May is the wettest month. 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 Scotland County it's 30% utility gas, 22% electric, 42% propane and 6% wood. Propane heat is above the Missouri 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 Scotland County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Schuyler gets more pipe-freeze nights than Scotland. Knox County has the oldest housing nearby, with 72% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Scotland | Missouri median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 38% | 25% | 16 of 114 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 62% | 53% | 29 of 114 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 23% | 21% | 45 of 114 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 6.8% | 9.8% | 85 of 114 |
| Vacant homes | 30% | 15% | 12 of 114 |
| Wood or propane heat | 47% | 25% | 10 of 114 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 45/yr | 28/yr | 9 of 114 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 8.1/yr | 10/yr | 106 of 114 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 86/yr | 77/yr | 16 of 114 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 46/yr | 65/yr | 102 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 Scotland County: freezing from November to March, heavy rain in June, August and September.
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