Cook County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 45% of Cook County's mapped land, a higher share than 62% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 4 flood losses here since 2016. 40% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1988.
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 Cook County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 45.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 80.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.4% |
| Mapped soil | 1,033,100 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Eveleth | 13% | n/a |
| Conic | 9% | n/a |
| Eaglesnest | 6% | n/a |
| Rifle | 4% | n/a |
| Normanna | 4% | n/a |
| Insula | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN031 (2026-05-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 45% of Cook 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: 28.27 in, 2.05 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 30.32 in.
USDA rates 80% 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 28 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 13 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 | 53.1% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
4 flood losses since 2016, $40,852 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 30.32 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 28.27 in (-2.05) |
| 2025 | 29.47 in (-0.85) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1968: 42.64 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 18.24 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GRAND MARAIS (1 mi away) | 4.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 6,079 |
| Median year built | 1988 |
| Built before 1980 | 40% |
| Built 2000 or later | 32% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $336,200 |
| Single-family detached | 88% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County, MN | 52 mi | 5% | 57% |
| Ontonagon County, MI | 81 mi | 22% | 78% |
| Ashland County, WI | 85 mi | 18% | 76% |
| Bayfield County, WI | 87 mi | 20% | 46% |
| Gogebic County, MI | 92 mi | 1% | 84% |
| Houghton County, MI | 95 mi | 2% | 66% |
| Keweenaw County, MI | 97 mi | 0% | 31% |
| Iron County, WI | 99 mi | 1% | 75% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (May 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status