Alpena County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 74% of Alpena County's mapped land, a higher share than 84% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
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. 72% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1968.
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 Alpena County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 74.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.4% |
| Mapped soil | 385,017 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Ossineke | 10% | n/a |
| Deford | 6% | n/a |
| Tawas | 5% | n/a |
| Slade | 5% | n/a |
| Morganlake | 5% | n/a |
| Lupton | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI007 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 74% of Alpena 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: 40.62 in, 9.64 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 30.98 in.
USDA rates 87% 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, $42,068 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 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 | 40.62 in (+9.64) |
| 2025 | 29.67 in (-1.31) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2017: 38.44 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1925: 18.61 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ALPENA WWTP (11 mi away) | 4.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 15,707 |
| Median year built | 1968 |
| Built before 1980 | 72% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $153,900 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcona County, MI | 18 mi | 8% | 45% |
| Presque Isle County, MI | 25 mi | 1% | 53% |
| Iosco County, MI | 35 mi | 5% | 60% |
| Montmorency County, MI | 36 mi | 2% | 36% |
| Oscoda County, MI | 37 mi | 4% | 21% |
| Ogemaw County, MI | 52 mi | 10% | 39% |
| Otsego County, MI | 57 mi | under 1% | 21% |
| Crawford County, MI | 60 mi | under 1% | 19% |
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