Ingham County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 68% of Ingham County's mapped land, a higher share than 80% 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 81 flood losses here since 2016, 76% of them in buildings with basements. 65% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1971.
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 Ingham County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 68.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Urban land, not rated | 3.7% |
| Mapped soil | 358,919 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Conover | 13% | n/a |
| Marlette | 11% | n/a |
| Houghton | 5% | n/a |
| Spinks | 5% | n/a |
| Capac | 5% | n/a |
| Colwood | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI065 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 68% of Ingham 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: 35.08 in, 0.25 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 34.83 in.
USDA rates 92% 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 54.4% 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
81 flood losses since 2016, $1.5 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 41. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 76% basements, 10% slabs, 14% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 10 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 41 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 7 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 7 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 34.83 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.08 in (+0.25) |
| 2025 | 31.23 in (-3.60) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 43.79 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 20.74 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LANSING CAPITAL CITY AP (16 mi away) | 6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 126,232 |
| Median year built | 1971 |
| Built before 1980 | 65% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 60% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $198,800 |
| Single-family detached | 61% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Livingston County, MI | 23 mi | under 1% | 37% |
| Eaton County, MI | 24 mi | 0% | 76% |
| Jackson County, MI | 25 mi | 0% | 38% |
| Clinton County, MI | 26 mi | 0% | 80% |
| Shiawassee County, MI | 27 mi | 0% | 80% |
| Washtenaw County, MI | 36 mi | 7% | 54% |
| Calhoun County, MI | 41 mi | under 1% | 34% |
| Ionia County, MI | 43 mi | under 1% | 47% |
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