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Montmorency County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 36% of Montmorency County's mapped land, a higher share than 55% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
None 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. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1975.
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 Montmorency County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 36.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 87.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.6% |
| Mapped soil | 359,764 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Graycalm | 13% | n/a |
| Millersburg | 10% | n/a |
| Grayling | 10% | n/a |
| Klacking | 8% | n/a |
| Rubicon | 6% | n/a |
| Tawas | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI119 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 36% of Montmorency 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: 36.25 in, 6.73 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 29.52 in.
USDA rates 87% 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 9 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 1.7% of its area, in 9 weeks, most recently on the January 6, 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
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Montmorency County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 29.52 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.25 in (+6.73) |
| 2025 | 28.03 in (-1.49) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1951: 36.29 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1925: 18.20 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ONAWAY 4N (27 mi away) | 4.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,925 |
| Median year built | 1975 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 88% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $158,600 |
| Single-family detached | 87% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Otsego County, MI | 22 mi | under 1% | 21% |
| Oscoda County, MI | 23 mi | 4% | 21% |
| Crawford County, MI | 34 mi | under 1% | 19% |
| Alpena County, MI | 36 mi | 5% | 74% |
| Cheboygan County, MI | 36 mi | 2% | 44% |
| Presque Isle County, MI | 37 mi | 1% | 53% |
| Ogemaw County, MI | 48 mi | 10% | 39% |
| Alcona County, MI | 48 mi | 8% | 45% |
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