Muskegon County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 45% of Muskegon County's mapped land, a higher share than 62% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 47 flood losses here since 2016. 64% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1969.
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 Muskegon County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 44.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 92.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.4% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.3% |
| Mapped soil | 337,094 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Plainfield | 35% | 2% |
| Covert | 8% | n/a |
| Pipestone | 6% | n/a |
| Roscommon | 4% | n/a |
| Au Gres | 4% | n/a |
| Nester | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI121 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 45% of Muskegon 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: 39.55 in, 3.54 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 36.01 in.
USDA rates 92% 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 | 32% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
47 flood losses since 2016, $518,735 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 23. Median water depth outside the building: 6 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2020 | 23 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 36.01 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.55 in (+3.54) |
| 2025 | 29.74 in (-6.27) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 47.78 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 19.28 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MONTAGUE 4 NW (2 mi away) | 7.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 75,266 |
| Median year built | 1969 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $198,300 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oceana County, MI | 12 mi | 1% | 30% |
| Ottawa County, MI | 28 mi | under 1% | 66% |
| Newaygo County, MI | 33 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Mason County, MI | 37 mi | 1% | 44% |
| Lake County, MI | 50 mi | 0% | 20% |
| Kent County, MI | 52 mi | 0% | 38% |
| Mecosta County, MI | 56 mi | 1% | 33% |
| Manistee County, MI | 57 mi | 0% | 25% |
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