Lenawee County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 79% of Lenawee County's mapped land, a higher share than 88% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 9%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 3 flood losses here since 2016. 66% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1968.
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 Lenawee County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 78.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 92.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.8% |
| Mapped soil | 486,277 acres |
How we count · survey areas MI091 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 79% of Lenawee 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: 30.76 in, 3.58 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 34.34 in.
USDA rates 93% 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 52.8% of its area, in 4 weeks, most recently on the January 20, 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
3 flood losses since 2016, $6,912 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 34.34 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 30.76 in (-3.58) |
| 2025 | 29.67 in (-4.67) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 45.34 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 19.95 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ADRIAN 2 NNE (3 mi away) | 7.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 43,761 |
| Median year built | 1968 |
| Built before 1980 | 66% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $196,800 |
| Single-family detached | 80% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton County, OH | 21 mi | 17% | 85% |
| Washtenaw County, MI | 27 mi | 7% | 54% |
| Hillsdale County, MI | 29 mi | 2% | 51% |
| Jackson County, MI | 30 mi | 0% | 38% |
| Monroe County, MI | 30 mi | 11% | 91% |
| Lucas County, OH | 34 mi | 19% | 68% |
| Williams County, OH | 35 mi | 22% | 95% |
| Henry County, OH | 39 mi | 62% | 96% |
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