Ionia County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 47% of Ionia County's mapped land, a higher share than 64% 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 14 flood losses here since 2016. 61% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1972.
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 Ionia County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 46.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.1% |
| Mapped soil | 371,411 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Capac | 8% | n/a |
| Parkhill | 7% | n/a |
| Marlette | 6% | n/a |
| Celina | 6% | 94% |
| McBride | 5% | n/a |
| Miami | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI067 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 47% of Ionia 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: 35.70 in, 0.21 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 35.91 in.
USDA rates 96% 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 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 92.5% of its area, on the October 14, 2025 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 62.9% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
14 flood losses since 2016, $169,159 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 9.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.91 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.70 in (-0.21) |
| 2025 | 30.70 in (-5.21) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 45.79 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 20.16 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LOWELL (14 mi away) | 7.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 24,861 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 61% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $198,500 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton County, MI | 24 mi | 0% | 80% |
| Kent County, MI | 25 mi | 0% | 38% |
| Montcalm County, MI | 26 mi | 0% | 35% |
| Eaton County, MI | 27 mi | 0% | 76% |
| Barry County, MI | 28 mi | 0% | 35% |
| Gratiot County, MI | 34 mi | 2% | 90% |
| Ingham County, MI | 43 mi | 0% | 68% |
| Shiawassee County, MI | 47 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