Mackinac County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 68% of Mackinac County's mapped land, a higher share than 80% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 4%.
100% 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. 56% 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 Mackinac County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 67.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.0% |
| Mapped soil | 698,937 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Wallace | 7% | n/a |
| Lupton | 6% | n/a |
| Carbondale | 4% | n/a |
| Finch | 4% | n/a |
| Cathro | 3% | n/a |
| Tawas | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI097 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 68% of Mackinac 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: 35.95 in, 2.36 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 33.59 in.
USDA rates 97% 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 | 62.8% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
3 flood losses since 2016, $6,641 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 33.59 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.95 in (+2.36) |
| 2025 | 36.30 in (+2.71) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 42.94 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1925: 21.98 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at TAHQUAMENON FALLS SP (30 mi away) | 5.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 10,597 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 56% |
| Built 2000 or later | 17% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $174,500 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luce County, MI | 26 mi | 2% | 58% |
| Chippewa County, MI | 39 mi | 15% | 73% |
| Charlevoix County, MI | 40 mi | under 1% | 25% |
| Emmet County, MI | 43 mi | under 1% | 23% |
| Schoolcraft County, MI | 46 mi | under 1% | 69% |
| Cheboygan County, MI | 62 mi | 2% | 44% |
| Alger County, MI | 69 mi | under 1% | 50% |
| Leelanau County, MI | 79 mi | under 1% | 12% |
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