Monroe County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 91% of Monroe County's mapped land, a higher share than 96% of US counties and the 5th highest of 83 Michigan counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 11%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 177 flood losses here since 2016, 42% of them in buildings with basements. 59% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1974.
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 Monroe County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 11.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 91.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.8% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.1% |
| Mapped soil | 360,697 acres |
How we count · survey areas MI115 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 91% of Monroe 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: 28.86 in, 5.02 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 33.88 in.
USDA rates 96% 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 22 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 29.3% of its area, in 7 weeks, most recently on the January 20, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 20.6% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
177 flood losses since 2016, $4.1 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 103. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 42% basements, 13% slabs, 41% crawl spaces, 5% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 14 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 103 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 37 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 33.88 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 28.86 in (-5.02) |
| 2025 | 28.78 in (-5.10) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 48.28 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 19.53 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at DETROIT METRO AP (23 mi away) | 5.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 66,594 |
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Built before 1980 | 59% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $228,900 |
| Single-family detached | 78% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucas County, OH | 16 mi | 19% | 68% |
| Wayne County, MI | 28 mi | 6% | 66% |
| Washtenaw County, MI | 30 mi | 7% | 54% |
| Lenawee County, MI | 30 mi | 9% | 79% |
| Ottawa County, OH | 35 mi | 50% | 75% |
| Wood County, OH | 39 mi | 55% | 91% |
| Fulton County, OH | 40 mi | 17% | 85% |
| Sandusky County, OH | 43 mi | 35% | 80% |
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