Chickasaw County, Iowa
A shallow water table limits basements on 82% of Chickasaw County's mapped land, a higher share than 90% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 21 flood losses here since 2016. 71% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1966.
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 Chickasaw County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 81.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.8% |
| Mapped soil | 323,300 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Clyde | 19% | n/a |
| Floyd | 10% | n/a |
| Kenyon | 8% | n/a |
| Readlyn | 8% | n/a |
| Oran | 5% | n/a |
| Bassett | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IA037 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 82% of Chickasaw 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: 33.01 in, 4.92 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 37.93 in.
USDA rates 98% 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
21 flood losses since 2016, $245,568 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 8.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 37.93 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 33.01 in (-4.92) |
| 2025 | 37.38 in (-0.55) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 60.18 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 17.00 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at NEW HAMPTON (1 mi away) | 11 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,542 |
| Median year built | 1966 |
| Built before 1980 | 71% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $182,600 |
| Single-family detached | 85% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bremer County, IA | 19 mi | 4% | 78% |
| Howard County, IA | 21 mi | 1% | 76% |
| Floyd County, IA | 24 mi | 3% | 74% |
| Fayette County, IA | 28 mi | 1% | 59% |
| Winneshiek County, IA | 29 mi | 6% | 22% |
| Mitchell County, IA | 31 mi | 4% | 75% |
| Butler County, IA | 32 mi | 9% | 73% |
| Black Hawk County, IA | 40 mi | 9% | 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