Wabasha County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 36% of Wabasha County's mapped land, a higher share than 55% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6%.
43.2% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 21 flood losses here since 2016. 55% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1976.
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 Wabasha County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 6.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 36.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 71.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.7% |
| Mapped soil | 351,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hersey | 16% | n/a |
| Mt. Carroll | 14% | n/a |
| Downs | 13% | n/a |
| Dubuque | 6% | n/a |
| Frontenac | 6% | n/a |
| Lacrescent | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MN157 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 36% of Wabasha 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: 25.85 in, 9.61 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 35.46 in.
USDA rates 71% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
43.2% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 20 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the June 30, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 97.1% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 43.2% |
| D2 severe or worse | 3.7% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
21 flood losses since 2016, $455,366 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 13.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 13 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.46 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 25.85 in (-9.61) |
| 2025 | 30.09 in (-5.37) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 47.51 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 13.36 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at THEILMAN 1SSW (2 mi away) | 7.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 10,291 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 55% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 83% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $264,400 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olmsted County, MN | 22 mi | 6% | 34% |
| Buffalo County, WI | 24 mi | 4% | 16% |
| Goodhue County, MN | 25 mi | 1% | 48% |
| Pepin County, WI | 31 mi | 3% | 25% |
| Winona County, MN | 31 mi | 6% | 15% |
| Pierce County, WI | 32 mi | 8% | 39% |
| Dodge County, MN | 37 mi | 1% | 90% |
| Fillmore County, MN | 43 mi | 8% | 21% |
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