Douglas County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 46% of Douglas County's mapped land, a higher share than 63% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
92.3% 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. 44% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.
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 Douglas County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 5.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 46.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 74.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.0% |
| Mapped soil | 460,600 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Waukon | 13% | n/a |
| Hokans | 5% | n/a |
| Langhei | 5% | n/a |
| Arvilla | 4% | n/a |
| Lakepark | 4% | n/a |
| Quam | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN041 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 46% of Douglas 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: 20.61 in, 6.36 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 26.97 in.
USDA rates 75% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
92.3% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 5 weeks, most recently on the September 22, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 92.3% |
| 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 Douglas County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 26.97 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 20.61 in (-6.36) |
| 2025 | 31.09 in (+4.12) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1986: 36.93 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1976: 12.44 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GLENWOOD 2WNW (19 mi away) | 5.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 22,332 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 44% |
| Built 2000 or later | 32% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $321,400 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pope County, MN | 24 mi | 4% | 52% |
| Grant County, MN | 26 mi | 3% | 78% |
| Todd County, MN | 28 mi | under 1% | 53% |
| Otter Tail County, MN | 35 mi | 3% | 40% |
| Stevens County, MN | 35 mi | 11% | 75% |
| Swift County, MN | 47 mi | 6% | 78% |
| Stearns County, MN | 49 mi | 1% | 54% |
| Traverse County, MN | 50 mi | 21% | 94% |
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