Kandiyohi County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 62% of Kandiyohi County's mapped land, a higher share than 76% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 11%.
22.8% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 3 flood losses here since 2016. 53% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Kandiyohi County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 10.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 62.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 84.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.5% |
| Mapped soil | 552,100 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Canisteo | 8% | 100% |
| Harps | 6% | n/a |
| Wadenill | 5% | n/a |
| Normania | 5% | n/a |
| Okoboji | 5% | n/a |
| Sunburg | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN067 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 62% of Kandiyohi 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: 22.16 in, 6.82 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 28.98 in.
USDA rates 84% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
22.8% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 8 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 22.8% of its area, in 2 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 | 22.8% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
3 flood losses since 2016, $23,739 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 28.98 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 22.16 in (-6.82) |
| 2025 | 32.78 in (+3.80) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2010: 36.97 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1976: 13.46 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WILLMAR WWTP (3 mi away) | 6.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 20,337 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 53% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $243,200 |
| Single-family detached | 73% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeker County, MN | 23 mi | 15% | 71% |
| Chippewa County, MN | 29 mi | 2% | 77% |
| Renville County, MN | 30 mi | 17% | 90% |
| Stearns County, MN | 34 mi | 1% | 54% |
| Swift County, MN | 34 mi | 6% | 78% |
| Pope County, MN | 37 mi | 4% | 52% |
| McLeod County, MN | 43 mi | 3% | 87% |
| Wright County, MN | 51 mi | 1% | 58% |
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