Baraga County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 53% of Baraga County's mapped land, a higher share than 69% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
66.8% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, up from 64.3% a week earlier. 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 1973.
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 Baraga County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 53.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 99.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 0.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.7% |
| Mapped soil | 594,406 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Champion | 15% | n/a |
| Munising | 10% | n/a |
| Michigamme | 6% | n/a |
| Tacoosh | 5% | n/a |
| Carbondale | 5% | n/a |
| Yalmer | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI013 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 53% of Baraga 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: 37.15 in, 4.24 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 32.91 in.
USDA rates over 99% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
66.8% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 3 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 66.8% of its area, on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 66.8% |
| D2 severe or worse | 36.1% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Baraga County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 32.91 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.15 in (+4.24) |
| 2025 | 38.14 in (+5.23) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2017: 43.77 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 20.63 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HERMAN (2 mi away) | 5.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,051 |
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 13% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $138,100 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton County, MI | 25 mi | 2% | 66% |
| Iron County, MI | 37 mi | 0% | 57% |
| Marquette County, MI | 38 mi | 0% | 46% |
| Ontonagon County, MI | 44 mi | 22% | 78% |
| Keweenaw County, MI | 46 mi | 0% | 31% |
| Dickinson County, MI | 53 mi | 0% | 36% |
| Florence County, WI | 57 mi | 0% | 41% |
| Gogebic County, MI | 69 mi | 1% | 84% |
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