Kalkaska County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 28% of Kalkaska County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None 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. 51% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1980.
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 Kalkaska County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 27.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.9% |
| Mapped soil | 365,031 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Islandlake | 22% | n/a |
| Rubicon | 17% | n/a |
| Kalkaska | 10% | n/a |
| Croswell | 6% | n/a |
| Graycalm | 4% | n/a |
| Au Gres | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI079 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 28% of Kalkaska 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: 37.97 in, 3.45 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 34.52 in.
USDA rates 98% 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 19.4% of its area, on the October 14, 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
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Kalkaska County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 34.52 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.97 in (+3.45) |
| 2025 | 32.39 in (-2.13) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2017: 42.37 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 23.46 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at KALKASKA (5 mi away) | 4.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 11,690 |
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Built before 1980 | 51% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 88% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $188,900 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antrim County, MI | 23 mi | under 1% | 16% |
| Grand Traverse County, MI | 23 mi | under 1% | 18% |
| Crawford County, MI | 23 mi | under 1% | 19% |
| Missaukee County, MI | 24 mi | 3% | 40% |
| Roscommon County, MI | 33 mi | 1% | 49% |
| Wexford County, MI | 34 mi | 0% | 18% |
| Otsego County, MI | 35 mi | under 1% | 21% |
| Oscoda County, MI | 47 mi | 4% | 21% |
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