Monroe County, Iowa
A shallow water table limits basements on 77% of Monroe County's mapped land, a higher share than 86% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 72%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 64% 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 Monroe County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 72.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 77.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 62.5% |
| Mapped soil | 277,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Pershing | 12% | n/a |
| Gara | 11% | 5% |
| Lindley | 10% | n/a |
| Munterville | 6% | n/a |
| Weller | 5% | n/a |
| Colo | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IA135 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.5% by land area here, and 63% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 72% of the mapped land.
On 77% of Monroe 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: 32.18 in, 4.53 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 36.71 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. Part of the county was in drought in 9 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 5 weeks, most recently on the March 31, 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
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Monroe County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 36.71 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 32.18 in (-4.53) |
| 2025 | 29.82 in (-6.89) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2010: 56.06 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 18.38 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ALBIA 3 NNE (5 mi away) | 8.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,656 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 13% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $156,300 |
| Single-family detached | 80% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appanoose County, IA | 20 mi | 69% | 78% |
| Marion County, IA | 24 mi | 71% | 77% |
| Wapello County, IA | 24 mi | 70% | 85% |
| Lucas County, IA | 24 mi | 73% | 78% |
| Mahaska County, IA | 24 mi | 71% | 88% |
| Davis County, IA | 31 mi | 74% | 80% |
| Wayne County, IA | 31 mi | 77% | 80% |
| Putnam County, MO | 39 mi | 76% | 74% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 9, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status