Lake County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 57% of Lake County's mapped land, a higher share than 72% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
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. 66% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1969.
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 Lake County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 57.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.9% |
| Mapped soil | 1,466,600 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Eveleth | 8% | n/a |
| Greenwood | 8% | n/a |
| Conic | 6% | n/a |
| Normanna | 4% | n/a |
| Rifle | 4% | n/a |
| Eaglesnest | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN075 (2026-05-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 57% of Lake 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: 26.03 in, 3.96 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 29.99 in.
USDA rates 86% 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 40 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 | 47.6% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
4 flood losses since 2016, $680,133 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 29.99 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 26.03 in (-3.96) |
| 2025 | 27.25 in (-2.74) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1968: 37.81 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 17.44 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WOLF RIDGE ELC (10 mi away) | 6.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,449 |
| Median year built | 1969 |
| Built before 1980 | 66% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 84% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $241,300 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County, MN | 52 mi | 10% | 70% |
| Cook County, MN | 52 mi | 3% | 45% |
| Bayfield County, WI | 62 mi | 20% | 46% |
| Ashland County, WI | 75 mi | 18% | 76% |
| Douglas County, WI | 76 mi | 20% | 56% |
| Carlton County, MN | 87 mi | 6% | 53% |
| Iron County, WI | 99 mi | 1% | 75% |
| Itasca County, MN | 103 mi | 8% | 54% |
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