Iron County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 57% of Iron County's mapped land, a higher share than 72% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 66% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1962.
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 Iron County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 57.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 0.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 775,091 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Wabeno | 11% | n/a |
| Karlin | 6% | n/a |
| Sundog | 5% | n/a |
| Sarona | 5% | n/a |
| Pence | 4% | n/a |
| Champion | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI071 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 57% of Iron 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: 31.58 in, 0.15 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 31.73 in.
USDA rates 98% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 18 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 3 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 24.9% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Iron County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 31.73 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 31.58 in (-0.15) |
| 2025 | 33.13 in (+1.40) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1951: 42.16 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 18.81 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at STAMBAUGH 2SSE (9 mi away) | 4.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 9,156 |
| Median year built | 1962 |
| Built before 1980 | 66% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 85% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $109,100 |
| Single-family detached | 89% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence County, WI | 22 mi | 0% | 41% |
| Dickinson County, MI | 35 mi | 0% | 36% |
| Forest County, WI | 37 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Baraga County, MI | 37 mi | 1% | 53% |
| Vilas County, WI | 46 mi | 0% | 36% |
| Marquette County, MI | 57 mi | 0% | 46% |
| Houghton County, MI | 57 mi | 2% | 66% |
| Oneida County, WI | 57 mi | 0% | 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