Nobles County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 90% of Nobles County's mapped land, a higher share than 96% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 10%.
34.3% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 14 flood losses here since 2016. 72% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1967.
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 Nobles County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 10.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 90.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 95.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.5% |
| Mapped soil | 462,000 acres |
How we count · survey areas MN105 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 90% of Nobles 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: 20.99 in, 8.98 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 29.97 in.
USDA rates 96% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
34.3% 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 8 weeks, most recently on the April 21, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 85.1% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 34.3% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
14 flood losses since 2016, $46,527 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 8.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 29.97 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 20.99 in (-8.98) |
| 2025 | 26.84 in (-3.13) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 44.86 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 15.20 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WORTHINGTON 2 NNE (9 mi away) | 7.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,396 |
| Median year built | 1967 |
| Built before 1980 | 72% |
| Built 2000 or later | 13% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $197,200 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osceola County, IA | 22 mi | 21% | 76% |
| Murray County, MN | 23 mi | 10% | 85% |
| Rock County, MN | 25 mi | 24% | 54% |
| Lyon County, IA | 30 mi | 18% | 37% |
| Jackson County, MN | 31 mi | 25% | 85% |
| Pipestone County, MN | 34 mi | 8% | 75% |
| Dickinson County, IA | 35 mi | 10% | 75% |
| Cottonwood County, MN | 37 mi | 8% | 86% |
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