Alcona County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 45% of Alcona County's mapped land, a higher share than 62% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 8%.
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. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1974.
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 Alcona County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 7.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 45.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 16.9% |
| Mapped soil | 445,126 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Klacking | 9% | n/a |
| McGinn | 8% | n/a |
| Grayling | 6% | n/a |
| Graycalm | 5% | n/a |
| Lupton | 5% | n/a |
| Glennie | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI001 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 45% of Alcona 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: 39.73 in, 8.75 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 30.98 in.
USDA rates 89% 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 15 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 1.4% of its area, in 9 weeks, most recently on the January 6, 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, $61,562 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 2 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 30.98 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.73 in (+8.75) |
| 2025 | 30.74 in (-0.24) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1994: 37.56 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1925: 19.96 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HALE LOUD DAM (25 mi away) | 6.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 10,320 |
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 90% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $162,800 |
| Single-family detached | 89% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpena County, MI | 18 mi | 5% | 74% |
| Iosco County, MI | 19 mi | 5% | 60% |
| Oscoda County, MI | 41 mi | 4% | 21% |
| Presque Isle County, MI | 42 mi | 1% | 53% |
| Ogemaw County, MI | 47 mi | 10% | 39% |
| Montmorency County, MI | 48 mi | 2% | 36% |
| Arenac County, MI | 48 mi | 6% | 76% |
| Huron County, MI | 56 mi | 0% | 93% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status