Iosco County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 60% of Iosco County's mapped land, a higher share than 74% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 41 flood losses here since 2016. 67% 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 Iosco County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 5.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 60.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 12.1% |
| Mapped soil | 361,837 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Grayling | 22% | n/a |
| Au Gres | 6% | n/a |
| Deford | 5% | n/a |
| Kawkawlin | 4% | n/a |
| Croswell | 4% | n/a |
| Graycalm | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI069 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 60% of Iosco 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: 37.59 in, 5.92 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 31.67 in.
USDA rates 95% 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 21 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 88.7% of its area, in 7 weeks, most recently on the January 6, 2026 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
41 flood losses since 2016, $791,731 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 17.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 13 |
| 2020 | 17 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 7 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 31.67 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.59 in (+5.92) |
| 2025 | 30.00 in (-1.67) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1959: 40.63 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1958: 18.74 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at E TAWAS (9 mi away) | 5.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 20,061 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 67% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $142,200 |
| Single-family detached | 83% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcona County, MI | 19 mi | 8% | 45% |
| Arenac County, MI | 30 mi | 6% | 76% |
| Alpena County, MI | 35 mi | 5% | 74% |
| Ogemaw County, MI | 37 mi | 10% | 39% |
| Huron County, MI | 42 mi | 0% | 93% |
| Oscoda County, MI | 42 mi | 4% | 21% |
| Bay County, MI | 56 mi | under 1% | 96% |
| Gladwin County, MI | 57 mi | 2% | 72% |
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