Oscoda County, Michigan
A shallow water table limits basements on 21% of Oscoda County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 4%.
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. 64% 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 Oscoda County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 3.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 20.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.7% |
| Mapped soil | 365,831 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Graycalm | 29% | n/a |
| Grayling | 21% | n/a |
| Klacking | 6% | n/a |
| Croswell | 3% | n/a |
| Au Gres | 2% | n/a |
| Millersburg | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MI135 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 21% of Oscoda 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: 37.94 in, 7.25 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 30.69 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 9 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 48.4% of its area, in 7 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 Oscoda County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 30.69 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.94 in (+7.25) |
| 2025 | 29.28 in (-1.41) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 37.81 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1925: 19.95 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HALE LOUD DAM (25 mi away) | 6.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,719 |
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 87% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $125,500 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montmorency County, MI | 23 mi | 2% | 36% |
| Crawford County, MI | 24 mi | under 1% | 19% |
| Ogemaw County, MI | 24 mi | 10% | 39% |
| Otsego County, MI | 32 mi | under 1% | 21% |
| Roscommon County, MI | 34 mi | 1% | 49% |
| Alpena County, MI | 37 mi | 5% | 74% |
| Alcona County, MI | 41 mi | 8% | 45% |
| Iosco County, MI | 42 mi | 5% | 60% |
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