Houston County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 16% of Houston County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 7 flood losses here since 2016. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1972.
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 Houston County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 15.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 87.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.2% |
| Mapped soil | 364,200 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Fayette | 12% | 0% |
| Lamoille | 8% | n/a |
| Lacrescent | 7% | n/a |
| Downs | 6% | n/a |
| Blackhammer | 5% | n/a |
| Elbaville | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN055 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 16% of Houston 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: 34.05 in, 3.16 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 37.21 in.
USDA rates 88% 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 5 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 99.3% of its area, on the June 23, 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
7 flood losses since 2016, $24,764 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 5.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 37.21 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.05 in (-3.16) |
| 2025 | 33.82 in (-3.39) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 52.15 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 17.49 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CALEDONIA (2 mi away) | 9.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,774 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 83% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $239,000 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse County, WI | 26 mi | 1% | 19% |
| Winona County, MN | 26 mi | 6% | 15% |
| Allamakee County, IA | 28 mi | 18% | 11% |
| Fillmore County, MN | 30 mi | 8% | 21% |
| Winneshiek County, IA | 31 mi | 6% | 22% |
| Vernon County, WI | 35 mi | 8% | 8% |
| Crawford County, WI | 41 mi | 5% | 9% |
| Trempealeau County, WI | 44 mi | 1% | 15% |
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