Luce County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 58% of Luce County's mapped land, a higher share than 73% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
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. 57% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1976.
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 Luce County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 58.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 0.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.0% |
| Mapped soil | 593,319 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Kalkaska | 15% | n/a |
| Rubicon | 9% | n/a |
| Wallace | 6% | n/a |
| Carbondale | 5% | n/a |
| Spot | 5% | n/a |
| Tawas | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI095 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 58% of Luce 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: 33.19 in, 0.70 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 33.89 in.
USDA rates 96% 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 6 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 2 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 | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Luce County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 33.89 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 33.19 in (-0.70) |
| 2025 | 38.17 in (+4.28) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1977: 44.76 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 23.07 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at TAHQUAMENON FALLS SP (15 mi away) | 5.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,067 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 57% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 83% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $112,000 |
| Single-family detached | 86% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mackinac County, MI | 26 mi | 4% | 68% |
| Chippewa County, MI | 49 mi | 15% | 73% |
| Schoolcraft County, MI | 49 mi | under 1% | 69% |
| Alger County, MI | 54 mi | under 1% | 50% |
| Charlevoix County, MI | 62 mi | under 1% | 25% |
| Emmet County, MI | 69 mi | under 1% | 23% |
| Delta County, MI | 82 mi | under 1% | 60% |
| Cheboygan County, MI | 87 mi | 2% | 44% |
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