Eaton County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 76% of Eaton County's mapped land, a higher share than 85% of US counties. 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 19 flood losses here since 2016. 56% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.
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 Eaton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 75.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 371,321 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Marlette | 24% | n/a |
| Capac | 11% | n/a |
| Parkhill | 9% | n/a |
| Conover | 8% | n/a |
| Filer | 6% | n/a |
| Boyer | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI045 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 76% of Eaton 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: 37.75 in, 1.62 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 36.13 in.
USDA rates 98% 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 1 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 13.4% of its area, on the October 14, 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
19 flood losses since 2016, $106,690 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 14.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 36.13 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.75 in (+1.62) |
| 2025 | 34.25 in (-1.88) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 43.99 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 20.25 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CHARLOTTE (3 mi away) | 5.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 47,753 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 56% |
| Built 2000 or later | 17% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $216,900 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barry County, MI | 24 mi | 0% | 35% |
| Ingham County, MI | 24 mi | 0% | 68% |
| Calhoun County, MI | 25 mi | under 1% | 34% |
| Ionia County, MI | 27 mi | under 1% | 47% |
| Clinton County, MI | 28 mi | 0% | 80% |
| Jackson County, MI | 32 mi | 0% | 38% |
| Kalamazoo County, MI | 42 mi | under 1% | 23% |
| Shiawassee County, MI | 43 mi | 0% | 80% |
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