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Clearwater County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 60% of Clearwater County's mapped land, a higher share than 74% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 9%.
36.9% 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. 50% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1980.
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 Clearwater County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 9.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 60.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 81.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 9.1% |
| Mapped soil | 658,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Cathro | 8% | n/a |
| Sugarbush | 7% | n/a |
| Sol | 6% | n/a |
| Naytahwaush | 6% | n/a |
| Snellman | 5% | n/a |
| Nebish | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN029 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 60% of Clearwater 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: 19.03 in, 5.88 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 24.91 in.
USDA rates 81% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
36.9% 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 9 weeks, most recently on the September 1, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 83.9% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 36.9% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Clearwater County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 24.91 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 19.03 in (-5.88) |
| 2025 | 22.09 in (-2.82) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1905: 33.72 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1917: 13.02 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ITASCA UNIV OF MINN (26 mi away) | 5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,468 |
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Built before 1980 | 50% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $192,100 |
| Single-family detached | 78% |
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% |
| Beltrami County, MN | 28 mi | 2% | 63% |
| Red Lake County, MN | 39 mi | 11% | 98% |
| Hubbard County, MN | 40 mi | 0% | 26% |
| Pennington County, MN | 46 mi | 5% | 98% |
| Becker County, MN | 47 mi | 4% | 44% |
| Polk County, MN | 50 mi | 10% | 85% |
| Norman County, MN | 54 mi | 27% | 93% |
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