Red Lake County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 98% of Red Lake County's mapped land, a higher share than 100% of US counties and the 3rd highest of 87 Minnesota counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 11%.
None 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. 69% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1969.
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 Red Lake County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 10.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 98.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 15.3% |
| Mapped soil | 277,000 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Smiley | 17% | n/a |
| Kratka | 11% | n/a |
| Strathcona | 8% | n/a |
| Reiner | 4% | n/a |
| Clearwater | 4% | n/a |
| Foldahl | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN125 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 98% of Red Lake 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: 15.68 in, 7.41 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 23.09 in.
USDA rates 99% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0% 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 100% of its area, in 6 weeks, most recently on the September 1, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 32.6% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| 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 Red Lake County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 23.09 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 15.68 in (-7.41) |
| 2025 | 18.77 in (-4.32) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1905: 30.49 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1936: 11.13 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RED LAKE FALLS (9 mi away) | 4.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,878 |
| Median year built | 1969 |
| Built before 1980 | 69% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 83% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $162,000 |
| Single-family detached | 81% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennington County, MN | 14 mi | 5% | 98% |
| Polk County, MN | 16 mi | 10% | 85% |
| Marshall County, MN | 37 mi | 21% | 98% |
| Clearwater County, MN | 39 mi | 9% | 60% |
| Mahnomen County, MN | 39 mi | 13% | 69% |
| Norman County, MN | 41 mi | 27% | 93% |
| Beltrami County, MN | 51 mi | 2% | 63% |
| Traill County, ND | 58 mi | 36% | 94% |
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