Clare County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 36% of Clare County's mapped land, a higher share than 54% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
7.9% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016. 59% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1976.
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 Clare County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 35.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 368,723 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Graycalm | 18% | n/a |
| Montcalm | 13% | n/a |
| Grayling | 8% | n/a |
| Onekama | 7% | n/a |
| Lupton | 5% | n/a |
| Menominee | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI035 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 36% of Clare 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: 36.95 in, 3.74 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 33.21 in.
USDA rates 97% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
7.9% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 21 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 weeks, most recently on the January 6, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 56.7% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 7.9% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2 flood losses since 2016, $0 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 33.21 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.95 in (+3.74) |
| 2025 | 27.57 in (-5.64) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 42.20 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 19.69 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GLADWIN (17 mi away) | 6.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 22,008 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 59% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 87% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $133,800 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gladwin County, MI | 22 mi | 2% | 72% |
| Osceola County, MI | 24 mi | 1% | 33% |
| Isabella County, MI | 24 mi | 0% | 57% |
| Missaukee County, MI | 26 mi | 3% | 40% |
| Roscommon County, MI | 27 mi | 1% | 49% |
| Midland County, MI | 33 mi | 3% | 96% |
| Mecosta County, MI | 35 mi | 1% | 33% |
| Ogemaw County, MI | 42 mi | 10% | 39% |
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