Dubuque County, Iowa
A shallow water table limits basements on 25% of Dubuque County's mapped land. 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 24 flood losses here since 2016. 63% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1970.
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 Dubuque County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 24.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 15.8% |
| Mapped soil | 394,600 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Fayette | 24% | 0% |
| Downs | 14% | n/a |
| Nordness | 8% | n/a |
| Rozetta | 4% | n/a |
| Dubuque | 3% | n/a |
| Arenzville | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IA061 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 25% of Dubuque 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: 36.15 in, 2.45 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 38.60 in.
USDA rates 88% 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. Part of the county was in drought in 16 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 59.7% of its area, on the March 3, 2026 map.
| 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
24 flood losses since 2016, $236,162 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 11.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 38.60 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.15 in (-2.45) |
| 2025 | 32.12 in (-6.48) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 51.06 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1988: 20.41 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at DUBUQUE RGNL AP (10 mi away) | 8.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 43,288 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 63% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $237,300 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware County, IA | 25 mi | 4% | 53% |
| Jackson County, IA | 26 mi | 1% | 18% |
| Jones County, IA | 26 mi | 12% | 38% |
| Grant County, WI | 30 mi | 23% | 11% |
| Clayton County, IA | 34 mi | 1% | 14% |
| Jo Daviess County, IL | 35 mi | 17% | 20% |
| Lafayette County, WI | 40 mi | 29% | 14% |
| Clinton County, IA | 43 mi | 15% | 44% |
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