Pope County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 52% of Pope County's mapped land, a higher share than 68% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 4%.
77.8% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 61% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1971.
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 Pope County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 52.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 80.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.3% |
| Mapped soil | 459,100 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hokans | 11% | n/a |
| Arvilla | 11% | n/a |
| Buse | 6% | n/a |
| Langhei | 5% | n/a |
| Barnes | 5% | 20% |
| Lakepark | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN121 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 52% of Pope 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: 20.74 in, 6.79 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 27.53 in.
USDA rates 81% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
77.8% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 10 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 77.8% of its area, in 2 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 | 77.8% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Pope County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 27.53 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 20.74 in (-6.79) |
| 2025 | 33.02 in (+5.49) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1986: 36.88 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1976: 12.28 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GLENWOOD 2WNW (5 mi away) | 5.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 6,424 |
| Median year built | 1971 |
| Built before 1980 | 61% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 84% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $255,100 |
| Single-family detached | 84% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County, MN | 24 mi | 5% | 46% |
| Swift County, MN | 25 mi | 6% | 78% |
| Stevens County, MN | 26 mi | 11% | 75% |
| Grant County, MN | 36 mi | 3% | 78% |
| Kandiyohi County, MN | 37 mi | 11% | 62% |
| Chippewa County, MN | 39 mi | 2% | 77% |
| Stearns County, MN | 40 mi | 1% | 54% |
| Todd County, MN | 42 mi | under 1% | 53% |
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