Emmet County, Iowa
A shallow water table limits basements on 84% of Emmet County's mapped land, a higher share than 91% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 10%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 6 flood losses here since 2016. 88% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1955.
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 Emmet County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 10.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 83.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 87.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 9.7% |
| Mapped soil | 257,000 acres |
How we count · survey areas IA063 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 84% of Emmet 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: 20.97 in, 10.51 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 31.48 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 21 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 9 weeks, most recently on the September 1, 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
6 flood losses since 2016, $61,311 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 31.48 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 20.97 in (-10.51) |
| 2025 | 29.25 in (-2.23) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 46.96 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1958: 16.54 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SWEA CITY 5N (19 mi away) | 7.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,520 |
| Median year built | 1955 |
| Built before 1980 | 88% |
| Built 2000 or later | 8% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $114,100 |
| Single-family detached | 83% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto County, IA | 21 mi | 10% | 85% |
| Martin County, MN | 22 mi | 9% | 87% |
| Kossuth County, IA | 26 mi | 18% | 90% |
| Dickinson County, IA | 26 mi | 10% | 75% |
| Jackson County, MN | 31 mi | 25% | 85% |
| Clay County, IA | 32 mi | 32% | 77% |
| Watonwan County, MN | 42 mi | 12% | 87% |
| Faribault County, MN | 42 mi | 37% | 88% |
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