Oceana County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 30% of Oceana County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 7 flood losses here since 2016. 53% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Oceana County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 29.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.1% |
| Mapped soil | 349,408 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Benona | 18% | n/a |
| Spinks | 12% | n/a |
| Grattan | 10% | n/a |
| Covert | 4% | n/a |
| Granby | 3% | n/a |
| Pipestone | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI127 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 30% of Oceana 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: 38.53 in, 2.68 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 35.85 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 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
7 flood losses since 2016, $104,880 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.85 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 38.53 in (+2.68) |
| 2025 | 30.61 in (-5.24) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 47.90 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1895: 22.22 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MONTAGUE 4 NW (10 mi away) | 7.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 15,723 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 53% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 85% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $190,100 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon County, MI | 12 mi | under 1% | 45% |
| Mason County, MI | 24 mi | 1% | 44% |
| Newaygo County, MI | 34 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Ottawa County, MI | 40 mi | under 1% | 66% |
| Lake County, MI | 42 mi | 0% | 20% |
| Manistee County, MI | 45 mi | 0% | 25% |
| Mecosta County, MI | 57 mi | 1% | 33% |
| Kent County, MI | 61 mi | 0% | 38% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 5, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status