Sibley County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 91% of Sibley County's mapped land, a higher share than 97% of US counties and the 9th highest of 87 Minnesota counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 12%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 4 flood losses here since 2016. 68% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1964.
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 Sibley County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 12.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 91.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 95.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.8% |
| Mapped soil | 384,000 acres |
How we count · survey areas MN143 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 91% of Sibley 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: 22.43 in, 7.61 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 30.04 in.
USDA rates 95% 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. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 40.1% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
4 flood losses since 2016, $17,440 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 30.04 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 22.43 in (-7.61) |
| 2025 | 24.20 in (-5.84) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 40.61 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 14.53 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ST PETER (22 mi away) | 7.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 6,523 |
| Median year built | 1964 |
| Built before 1980 | 68% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $231,900 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicollet County, MN | 15 mi | 10% | 83% |
| McLeod County, MN | 17 mi | 3% | 87% |
| Carver County, MN | 27 mi | 4% | 74% |
| Le Sueur County, MN | 28 mi | 16% | 71% |
| Brown County, MN | 34 mi | 10% | 85% |
| Scott County, MN | 35 mi | 1% | 57% |
| Renville County, MN | 37 mi | 17% | 90% |
| Blue Earth County, MN | 39 mi | 40% | 84% |
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