Morrison County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 67% of Morrison County's mapped land, a higher share than 79% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 33 flood losses here since 2016. 54% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.
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 Morrison County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 66.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 90.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.1% |
| Mapped soil | 738,100 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Mahtomedi | 6% | n/a |
| Menahga | 6% | n/a |
| Brainerd | 5% | n/a |
| Cathro | 5% | n/a |
| Milaca | 5% | n/a |
| Mora | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN097 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 67% of Morrison 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: 21.18 in, 7.93 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 29.11 in.
USDA rates 90% 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 19 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 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 | 85.5% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
33 flood losses since 2016, $524,661 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 12.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 29.11 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 21.18 in (-7.93) |
| 2025 | 26.83 in (-2.28) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 37.20 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1976: 13.29 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BRAINERD (22 mi away) | 6.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 16,256 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 54% |
| Built 2000 or later | 24% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $248,500 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, MN | 25 mi | 1% | 81% |
| Todd County, MN | 31 mi | under 1% | 53% |
| Mille Lacs County, MN | 31 mi | 4% | 77% |
| Crow Wing County, MN | 34 mi | 1% | 51% |
| Stearns County, MN | 36 mi | 1% | 54% |
| Sherburne County, MN | 46 mi | 0% | 37% |
| Kanabec County, MN | 47 mi | 7% | 86% |
| Wadena County, MN | 52 mi | under 1% | 67% |
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