McLeod County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 87% of McLeod County's mapped land, a higher share than 94% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
5% 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. 52% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1979.
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 McLeod County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 3.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 86.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.1% |
| Mapped soil | 323,500 acres |
How we count · survey areas MN085 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 87% of McLeod 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: 23.71 in, 5.54 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 29.25 in.
USDA rates 89% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
5% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 3 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 6.4% of its area, on the September 29, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 94.7% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 5% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
3 flood losses since 2016, $2,864 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 29.25 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 23.71 in (-5.54) |
| 2025 | 28.59 in (-0.66) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1991: 39.82 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 14.03 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BROWNTON WWTP (7 mi away) | 7.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 15,972 |
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Built before 1980 | 52% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $246,100 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sibley County, MN | 17 mi | 12% | 91% |
| Carver County, MN | 23 mi | 4% | 74% |
| Meeker County, MN | 24 mi | 15% | 71% |
| Wright County, MN | 29 mi | 1% | 58% |
| Nicollet County, MN | 32 mi | 10% | 83% |
| Renville County, MN | 34 mi | 17% | 90% |
| Scott County, MN | 38 mi | 1% | 57% |
| Le Sueur County, MN | 41 mi | 16% | 71% |
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