Dickinson County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 36% of Dickinson County's mapped land, a higher share than 55% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 66% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1970.
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 Dickinson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 36.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 75.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 497,549 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Emmet | 21% | n/a |
| Pemene | 17% | n/a |
| Cathro | 8% | n/a |
| Lupton | 7% | n/a |
| Markey | 5% | n/a |
| Zimmerman | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI043 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 36% of Dickinson 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: 30.39 in, 0.16 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 30.55 in.
USDA rates 76% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 18 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 8 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 35.9% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Dickinson County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 30.55 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 30.39 in (-0.16) |
| 2025 | 30.74 in (+0.19) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1951: 41.42 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 19.98 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at IRON MTN-KINGSFORD WWTP (19 mi away) | 5.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 13,951 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 66% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $153,300 |
| Single-family detached | 84% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence County, WI | 28 mi | 0% | 41% |
| Iron County, MI | 35 mi | 0% | 57% |
| Menominee County, MI | 37 mi | under 1% | 60% |
| Marquette County, MI | 45 mi | 0% | 46% |
| Marinette County, WI | 46 mi | under 1% | 42% |
| Delta County, MI | 49 mi | under 1% | 60% |
| Forest County, WI | 50 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Baraga County, MI | 53 mi | 1% | 53% |
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