Genesee County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 72% of Genesee County's mapped land, a higher share than 83% 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 53 flood losses here since 2016, 58% of them in buildings with basements. 68% 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 Genesee County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 71.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.6% |
| Urban land, not rated | 2.3% |
| Mapped soil | 415,725 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Conover | 24% | n/a |
| Brookston | 7% | n/a |
| Del Rey | 6% | n/a |
| Miami | 5% | n/a |
| Wawasee | 5% | n/a |
| Celina | 4% | 94% |
How we count · survey areas MI049 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 72% of Genesee 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: 32.57 in, 0.62 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 33.19 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. Part of the county was in drought in 8 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 81% of its area, in 7 weeks, most recently on the October 14, 2025 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
53 flood losses since 2016, $1.1 million paid. The worst year was 2026, with 14. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 58% basements, 17% slabs, 25% crawl spaces. Median water depth outside the building: 7 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 11 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 14 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 33.19 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 32.57 in (-0.62) |
| 2025 | 31.75 in (-1.44) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 42.59 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 19.24 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at FLINT 7W (3 mi away) | 6.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 183,903 |
| Median year built | 1969 |
| Built before 1980 | 68% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $182,400 |
| Single-family detached | 74% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shiawassee County, MI | 23 mi | 0% | 80% |
| Lapeer County, MI | 25 mi | 4% | 60% |
| Saginaw County, MI | 28 mi | 6% | 95% |
| Oakland County, MI | 30 mi | 1% | 34% |
| Livingston County, MI | 31 mi | under 1% | 37% |
| Tuscola County, MI | 35 mi | under 1% | 84% |
| Ingham County, MI | 44 mi | 0% | 68% |
| Clinton County, MI | 45 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