Swift County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 78% of Swift County's mapped land, a higher share than 87% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6%.
20.9% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016. 70% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1958.
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 Swift County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 5.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 78.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.9% |
| Mapped soil | 481,200 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Bearden | 7% | n/a |
| Marysland | 7% | n/a |
| Balaton | 7% | n/a |
| Quam | 6% | n/a |
| Winger | 5% | n/a |
| Parnell | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN151 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 78% of Swift 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: 20.15 in, 6.85 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 27.00 in.
USDA rates 88% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
20.9% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 18 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 45.5% of its area, on the July 28, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 20.9% |
| D2 severe or worse | 3.1% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2 flood losses since 2016, $0 paid. The worst year was 2022, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 27.00 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 20.15 in (-6.85) |
| 2025 | 32.24 in (+5.24) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 34.98 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1976: 11.34 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BENSON (5 mi away) | 5.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,706 |
| Median year built | 1958 |
| Built before 1980 | 70% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $161,400 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chippewa County, MN | 18 mi | 2% | 77% |
| Pope County, MN | 25 mi | 4% | 52% |
| Stevens County, MN | 26 mi | 11% | 75% |
| Lac qui Parle County, MN | 30 mi | 9% | 74% |
| Kandiyohi County, MN | 34 mi | 11% | 62% |
| Big Stone County, MN | 36 mi | 15% | 73% |
| Yellow Medicine County, MN | 40 mi | 9% | 87% |
| Douglas County, MN | 47 mi | 5% | 46% |
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