Cass County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 44% of Cass County's mapped land, a higher share than 61% 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 no flood losses here since 2016. 36% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1990.
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 Cass County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 44.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 71.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.6% |
| Mapped soil | 1,545,700 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Warba | 7% | n/a |
| Menahga | 6% | n/a |
| Seelyeville | 3% | n/a |
| Friendship | 3% | n/a |
| Zimmerman | 2% | n/a |
| Stuntz | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN021 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 44% of Cass 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: 19.94 in, 7.25 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 27.19 in.
USDA rates 71% 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 52 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 19 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 | 96.4% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Cass County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 27.19 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 19.94 in (-7.25) |
| 2025 | 23.16 in (-4.03) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1905: 35.54 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1976: 14.87 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LEECH LAKE (21 mi away) | 4.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 24,470 |
| Median year built | 1990 |
| Built before 1980 | 36% |
| Built 2000 or later | 33% |
| Owner-occupied | 86% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $288,300 |
| Single-family detached | 86% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hubbard County, MN | 29 mi | 0% | 26% |
| Crow Wing County, MN | 34 mi | 1% | 51% |
| Wadena County, MN | 40 mi | under 1% | 67% |
| Aitkin County, MN | 50 mi | 1% | 74% |
| Itasca County, MN | 50 mi | 8% | 54% |
| Morrison County, MN | 64 mi | under 1% | 67% |
| Clearwater County, MN | 65 mi | 9% | 60% |
| Becker County, MN | 66 mi | 4% | 44% |
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