Freeborn County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 82% of Freeborn County's mapped land, a higher share than 90% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 13%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 8 flood losses here since 2016. 79% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1959.
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 Freeborn County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 12.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 81.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 12.9% |
| Mapped soil | 462,600 acres |
How we count · survey areas MN047 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 82% of Freeborn 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: 28.81 in, 6.96 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 35.77 in.
USDA rates 89% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 18 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 25.5% of its area, in 3 weeks, most recently on the July 7, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
8 flood losses since 2016, $453,738 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.77 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 28.81 in (-6.96) |
| 2025 | 38.43 in (+2.66) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 47.81 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 16.07 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ALBERT LEA 3SE (5 mi away) | 8.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 14,116 |
| Median year built | 1959 |
| Built before 1980 | 79% |
| Built 2000 or later | 9% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $171,100 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worth County, IA | 21 mi | 10% | 80% |
| Steele County, MN | 24 mi | 6% | 85% |
| Waseca County, MN | 27 mi | 17% | 88% |
| Winnebago County, IA | 28 mi | 18% | 82% |
| Mower County, MN | 30 mi | 3% | 86% |
| Faribault County, MN | 30 mi | 37% | 88% |
| Dodge County, MN | 34 mi | 1% | 90% |
| Mitchell County, IA | 36 mi | 4% | 75% |
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