Montcalm County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 35% of Montcalm County's mapped land, a higher share than 54% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
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. 54% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.
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 Montcalm County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 35.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 76.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 460,915 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Tekenink | 14% | n/a |
| Plainfield | 9% | 2% |
| Mancelona | 9% | n/a |
| Onekama | 7% | n/a |
| Carlisle | 6% | n/a |
| Spinks | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI117 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 35% of Montcalm 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: 36.24 in, 0.32 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 35.92 in.
USDA rates 77% 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 100% of its area, in 12 weeks, most recently on the January 6, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| 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, $83,754 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.92 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.24 in (+0.32) |
| 2025 | 27.54 in (-8.38) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 47.09 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 20.00 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GREENVILLE 2 NNE (9 mi away) | 7.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 28,147 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 54% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 83% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $185,500 |
| Single-family detached | 76% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mecosta County, MI | 24 mi | 1% | 33% |
| Ionia County, MI | 26 mi | under 1% | 47% |
| Gratiot County, MI | 27 mi | 2% | 90% |
| Isabella County, MI | 28 mi | 0% | 57% |
| Kent County, MI | 28 mi | 0% | 38% |
| Newaygo County, MI | 37 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Clinton County, MI | 38 mi | 0% | 80% |
| Midland County, MI | 45 mi | 3% | 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