Jackson County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 38% of Jackson County's mapped land, a higher share than 56% 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 8 flood losses here since 2016. 68% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1967.
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 Jackson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 37.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 78.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.3% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.5% |
| Mapped soil | 463,028 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Riddles | 17% | n/a |
| Hillsdale | 8% | n/a |
| Houghton | 8% | n/a |
| Spinks | 7% | n/a |
| Oshtemo | 6% | 0% |
| Palms | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI075 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 38% of Jackson 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: 33.14 in, 2.02 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 35.16 in.
USDA rates 78% 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 14 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 99.7% of its area, on the October 21, 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
8 flood losses since 2016, $95,313 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 4.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.16 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 33.14 in (-2.02) |
| 2025 | 29.67 in (-5.49) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 45.14 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 20.43 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at JACKSON REYNOLDS FLD (3 mi away) | 5.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 69,292 |
| Median year built | 1967 |
| Built before 1980 | 68% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $193,700 |
| Single-family detached | 76% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ingham County, MI | 25 mi | 0% | 68% |
| Hillsdale County, MI | 25 mi | 2% | 51% |
| Washtenaw County, MI | 30 mi | 7% | 54% |
| Lenawee County, MI | 30 mi | 9% | 79% |
| Calhoun County, MI | 30 mi | under 1% | 34% |
| Eaton County, MI | 32 mi | 0% | 76% |
| Livingston County, MI | 36 mi | under 1% | 37% |
| Branch County, MI | 40 mi | under 1% | 61% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 4, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status