Butler County, Iowa
A shallow water table limits basements on 73% of Butler County's mapped land, a higher share than 84% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 9%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 71 flood losses here since 2016, 76% of them in buildings with basements. 73% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1958.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, October 13, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Butler County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 73.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.9% |
| Mapped soil | 372,300 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Kenyon | 12% | n/a |
| Clyde | 10% | n/a |
| Floyd | 9% | n/a |
| Coland | 5% | n/a |
| Marshan | 4% | n/a |
| Lawler | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IA023 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 73% of Butler County's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 37.28 in, 0.79 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 36.49 in.
USDA rates 96% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
71 flood losses since 2016, $2.2 million paid. The worst year was 2016, with 67. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 76% basements, 14% slabs, 10% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 26 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 67 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 36.49 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.28 in (+0.79) |
| 2025 | 38.78 in (+2.29) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 53.52 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 18.34 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ALLISON (2 mi away) | 8.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 6,570 |
| Median year built | 1958 |
| Built before 1980 | 73% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 84% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $165,400 |
| Single-family detached | 88% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd County, IA | 22 mi | 3% | 74% |
| Grundy County, IA | 23 mi | 59% | 67% |
| Bremer County, IA | 23 mi | 4% | 78% |
| Franklin County, IA | 25 mi | 13% | 72% |
| Black Hawk County, IA | 30 mi | 9% | 75% |
| Chickasaw County, IA | 32 mi | 3% | 82% |
| Hardin County, IA | 33 mi | 17% | 57% |
| Cerro Gordo County, IA | 33 mi | 6% | 75% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status