Murray County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 85% of Murray County's mapped land, a higher share than 92% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 10%.
95.2% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 9 flood losses here since 2016. 72% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1963.
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 Murray County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 10.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 85.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.0% |
| Mapped soil | 460,500 acres |
How we count · survey areas MN101 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 85% of Murray 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: 20.54 in, 9.28 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 29.82 in.
USDA rates 93% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
95.2% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 35 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 17 weeks, most recently on the September 15, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 95.2% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
9 flood losses since 2016, $154,425 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 8.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 29.82 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 20.54 in (-9.28) |
| 2025 | 28.18 in (-1.64) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 44.52 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1976: 14.55 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LAKE WILSON (9 mi away) | 7.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,401 |
| Median year built | 1963 |
| Built before 1980 | 72% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $185,400 |
| Single-family detached | 90% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nobles County, MN | 23 mi | 10% | 90% |
| Pipestone County, MN | 25 mi | 8% | 75% |
| Lyon County, MN | 28 mi | 10% | 87% |
| Cottonwood County, MN | 29 mi | 8% | 86% |
| Rock County, MN | 35 mi | 24% | 54% |
| Redwood County, MN | 37 mi | 11% | 91% |
| Lincoln County, MN | 37 mi | 13% | 83% |
| Jackson County, MN | 39 mi | 25% | 85% |
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