Waseca County, Minnesota
A shallow water table limits basements on 88% of Waseca County's mapped land, a higher share than 94% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 17%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 6 flood losses here since 2016. 70% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1970.
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 Waseca County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 16.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 87.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 14.6% |
| Mapped soil | 277,000 acres |
How we count · survey areas MN161 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.5% by land area here, and 15% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 17% of the mapped land.
On 88% of Waseca 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: 27.12 in, 7.91 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 35.03 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 | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
6 flood losses since 2016, $98,385 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.03 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 27.12 in (-7.91) |
| 2025 | 38.74 in (+3.71) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2016: 48.40 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 13.73 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WASECA S RSCH & OUTREACH CTR (5 mi away) | 8.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,922 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 70% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $220,800 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steele County, MN | 18 mi | 6% | 85% |
| Blue Earth County, MN | 24 mi | 40% | 84% |
| Le Sueur County, MN | 25 mi | 16% | 71% |
| Freeborn County, MN | 27 mi | 13% | 82% |
| Rice County, MN | 27 mi | 16% | 62% |
| Faribault County, MN | 30 mi | 37% | 88% |
| Dodge County, MN | 36 mi | 1% | 90% |
| Nicollet County, MN | 40 mi | 10% | 83% |
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