Carlton County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 53% of Carlton County's mapped land, a higher share than 68% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6%.
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. 56% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1975.
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 Carlton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 6.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 52.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 80.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 6.6% |
| Mapped soil | 560,400 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Duluth | 9% | n/a |
| Ahmeek | 9% | n/a |
| Greenwood | 6% | n/a |
| Omega | 6% | n/a |
| Ontonagon | 5% | n/a |
| Cloquet | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN017 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 53% of Carlton 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: 22.06 in, 8.61 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 30.67 in.
USDA rates 81% 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 46 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 33 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 | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 58.9% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
3 flood losses since 2016, $84,877 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 30.67 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 22.06 in (-8.61) |
| 2025 | 22.37 in (-8.30) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1986: 39.80 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 16.47 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CLOQUET (10 mi away) | 7.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 15,896 |
| Median year built | 1975 |
| Built before 1980 | 56% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $245,100 |
| Single-family detached | 80% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine County, MN | 35 mi | 4% | 65% |
| Aitkin County, MN | 36 mi | 1% | 74% |
| Douglas County, WI | 38 mi | 20% | 56% |
| Burnett County, WI | 53 mi | 3% | 41% |
| Kanabec County, MN | 54 mi | 7% | 86% |
| Washburn County, WI | 64 mi | under 1% | 37% |
| Mille Lacs County, MN | 65 mi | 4% | 77% |
| Crow Wing County, MN | 67 mi | 1% | 51% |
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