Becker County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 44% of Becker County's mapped land, a higher share than 61% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 4%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016. 49% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1981.
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 Becker County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 44.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 75.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.0% |
| Mapped soil | 924,300 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Snellman | 11% | n/a |
| Sugarbush | 7% | n/a |
| Rifle | 5% | n/a |
| Cathro | 3% | n/a |
| Hamerly | 3% | n/a |
| Seelyeville | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN005 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 44% of Becker 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: 20.26 in, 5.79 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 26.05 in.
USDA rates 76% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 45 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 10 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 4.4% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2 flood losses since 2016, $53,149 paid. The worst year was 2022, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 26.05 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 20.26 in (-5.79) |
| 2025 | 23.16 in (-2.89) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2010: 33.02 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1976: 11.98 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at DETROIT LAKES 1 NNE (8 mi away) | 5.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 20,005 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 49% |
| Built 2000 or later | 30% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $291,000 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahnomen County, MN | 27 mi | 13% | 69% |
| Clay County, MN | 36 mi | 17% | 84% |
| Otter Tail County, MN | 37 mi | 3% | 40% |
| Hubbard County, MN | 41 mi | 0% | 26% |
| Wadena County, MN | 43 mi | under 1% | 67% |
| Norman County, MN | 43 mi | 27% | 93% |
| Clearwater County, MN | 47 mi | 9% | 60% |
| Wilkin County, MN | 53 mi | 17% | 95% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 10, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status