Benzie County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 20% of Benzie County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 5 flood losses here since 2016. 44% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1985.
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 Benzie County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 20.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.1% |
| Mapped soil | 223,207 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Benzonia | 18% | n/a |
| Kaleva | 17% | n/a |
| Benona | 7% | n/a |
| Nessen | 6% | n/a |
| Grattan | 5% | n/a |
| Shavenaugh | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI614 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 20% of Benzie 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: 38.22 in, 4.01 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 34.21 in.
USDA rates 91% 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
5 flood losses since 2016, $35,000 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 34.21 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 38.22 in (+4.01) |
| 2025 | 34.27 in (+0.06) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1985: 43.50 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 22.03 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at FRANKFORT 2NE (1 mi away) | 5.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 12,326 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 44% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 88% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $285,700 |
| Single-family detached | 86% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manistee County, MI | 27 mi | 0% | 25% |
| Grand Traverse County, MI | 34 mi | under 1% | 18% |
| Leelanau County, MI | 36 mi | under 1% | 12% |
| Wexford County, MI | 39 mi | 0% | 18% |
| Mason County, MI | 48 mi | 1% | 44% |
| Lake County, MI | 49 mi | 0% | 20% |
| Door County, WI | 51 mi | 9% | 35% |
| Kalkaska County, MI | 56 mi | 1% | 28% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 4, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status