Isabella County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 57% of Isabella County's mapped land, a higher share than 72% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
24.7% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 23 flood losses here since 2016. 47% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1983.
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 Isabella County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 57.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 369,849 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Ithaca | 7% | n/a |
| Coloma | 7% | n/a |
| Spinks | 7% | n/a |
| Remus | 6% | n/a |
| Onekama | 6% | n/a |
| Pipestone | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI073 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 57% of Isabella 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: 35.26 in, 1.68 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 33.58 in.
USDA rates 97% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
24.7% 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 100% of its area, in 12 weeks, most recently on the January 6, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 24.7% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
23 flood losses since 2016, $497,079 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 20.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 20 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 33.58 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.26 in (+1.68) |
| 2025 | 24.97 in (-8.61) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 44.95 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 19.68 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ALMA (20 mi away) | 6.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 28,660 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 47% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 62% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $170,400 |
| Single-family detached | 60% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midland County, MI | 23 mi | 3% | 96% |
| Clare County, MI | 24 mi | 0% | 36% |
| Mecosta County, MI | 25 mi | 1% | 33% |
| Gratiot County, MI | 27 mi | 2% | 90% |
| Montcalm County, MI | 28 mi | 0% | 35% |
| Gladwin County, MI | 33 mi | 2% | 72% |
| Osceola County, MI | 34 mi | 1% | 33% |
| Bay County, MI | 43 mi | under 1% | 96% |
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