Howard County, Iowa
A shallow water table limits basements on 76% of Howard County's mapped land, a higher share than 85% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
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. 77% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1960.
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 Howard County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 75.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 6.0% |
| Mapped soil | 302,700 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Clyde | 16% | n/a |
| Floyd | 14% | n/a |
| Bassett | 6% | n/a |
| Kenyon | 6% | n/a |
| Schley | 6% | n/a |
| Ostrander | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IA089 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 76% of Howard 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: 35.02 in, 2.38 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 37.40 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
6 flood losses since 2016, $31,849 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 37.40 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.02 in (-2.38) |
| 2025 | 39.01 in (+1.61) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 56.00 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 17.03 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CRESCO 1 NE (12 mi away) | 8.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,320 |
| Median year built | 1960 |
| Built before 1980 | 77% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $147,800 |
| Single-family detached | 90% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chickasaw County, IA | 21 mi | 3% | 82% |
| Mitchell County, IA | 23 mi | 4% | 75% |
| Winneshiek County, IA | 24 mi | 6% | 22% |
| Fillmore County, MN | 24 mi | 8% | 21% |
| Mower County, MN | 30 mi | 3% | 86% |
| Floyd County, IA | 32 mi | 3% | 74% |
| Bremer County, IA | 40 mi | 4% | 78% |
| Fayette County, IA | 42 mi | 1% | 59% |
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