Benton County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 81% of Benton County's mapped land, a higher share than 90% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 3 flood losses here since 2016. 42% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.
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 Benton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 81.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.6% |
| Mapped soil | 264,500 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Milaca | 17% | n/a |
| Mora | 10% | n/a |
| Hubbard | 8% | n/a |
| Brennyville | 8% | n/a |
| Cebana | 8% | n/a |
| Freer | 7% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN009 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 81% of Benton 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: 21.51 in, 8.14 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 29.65 in.
USDA rates 98% 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 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 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 | 98.1% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
3 flood losses since 2016, $6,280 paid. The worst year was 2022, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 29.65 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 21.51 in (-8.14) |
| 2025 | 27.90 in (-1.75) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 39.90 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 12.63 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ST CLOUD RGNL AP (11 mi away) | 5.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 17,608 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 30% |
| Owner-occupied | 67% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $271,000 |
| Single-family detached | 66% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherburne County, MN | 21 mi | 0% | 37% |
| Mille Lacs County, MN | 24 mi | 4% | 77% |
| Morrison County, MN | 25 mi | under 1% | 67% |
| Stearns County, MN | 31 mi | 1% | 54% |
| Isanti County, MN | 35 mi | 1% | 57% |
| Wright County, MN | 36 mi | 1% | 58% |
| Kanabec County, MN | 38 mi | 7% | 86% |
| Anoka County, MN | 47 mi | under 1% | 47% |
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