Big Stone County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 73% of Big Stone County's mapped land, a higher share than 83% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 15%.
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. 75% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1959.
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 Big Stone County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 14.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 72.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 79.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 14.6% |
| Mapped soil | 338,100 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Aazdahl | 10% | n/a |
| Hattie | 8% | n/a |
| Flom | 6% | n/a |
| Esmond | 6% | n/a |
| Fram | 5% | n/a |
| Formdale | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN011 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 73% of Big Stone 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: 18.52 in, 6.75 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 25.27 in.
USDA rates 79% 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 18 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 3 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 | 6.5% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
3 flood losses since 2016, $31,852 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 25.27 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 18.52 in (-6.75) |
| 2025 | 30.14 in (+4.87) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1957: 33.76 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1976: 8.77 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BIG STONE CITY 2 NW (10 mi away) | 5.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,001 |
| Median year built | 1959 |
| Built before 1980 | 75% |
| Built 2000 or later | 13% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $169,100 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stevens County, MN | 23 mi | 11% | 75% |
| Traverse County, MN | 24 mi | 21% | 94% |
| Grant County, SD | 25 mi | 26% | 56% |
| Roberts County, SD | 30 mi | 26% | 60% |
| Lac qui Parle County, MN | 31 mi | 9% | 74% |
| Swift County, MN | 36 mi | 6% | 78% |
| Grant County, MN | 40 mi | 3% | 78% |
| Pope County, MN | 48 mi | 4% | 52% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 9, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status