Branch County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 61% of Branch County's mapped land, a higher share than 75% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 13 flood losses here since 2016. 64% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1969.
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 Branch County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | under 0.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 61.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 332,243 acres |
How we count · survey areas MI023 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 61% of Branch 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: 38.29 in, 0.16 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 38.13 in.
USDA rates 94% 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 10 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, on the October 21, 2025 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
13 flood losses since 2016, $329,586 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 11.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 38.13 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 38.29 in (+0.16) |
| 2025 | 34.34 in (-3.79) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 47.78 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 20.77 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at COLDWATER ST SCHOOL (5 mi away) | 8.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 20,971 |
| Median year built | 1969 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $162,500 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steuben County, IN | 19 mi | 5% | 59% |
| Hillsdale County, MI | 22 mi | 2% | 51% |
| Calhoun County, MI | 23 mi | under 1% | 34% |
| St. Joseph County, MI | 23 mi | 0% | 28% |
| LaGrange County, IN | 27 mi | 3% | 39% |
| Kalamazoo County, MI | 33 mi | under 1% | 23% |
| Williams County, OH | 35 mi | 22% | 95% |
| DeKalb County, IN | 36 mi | 20% | 88% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 3, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status