HomeNorth Dakota

North Dakota soil by county

Across North Dakota's mapped land, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 19% and a shallow water table limits basements on 40%.

Highest clay shares: Cass County (44%), Hettinger County (43%), Stark County (37%), Traill County (36%), Sioux County (33%). Highest water-table shares: Traill County (94%), Pembina County (94%), Towner County (94%), Richland County (90%), Cass County (88%).

Data as of September 22, 2026 · 53 counties

Adams County: 33%Barnes County: 18%Benson County: 12%Billings County: 25%Bottineau County: 18%Bowman County: 32%Burke County: 30%Burleigh County: 12%Cass County: 44%Cavalier County: 26%Dickey County: 20%Divide County: 21%Dunn County: 22%Eddy County: 6%Emmons County: 14%Foster County: 11%Golden Valley County: 7%Grand Forks County: 9%Grant County: 23%Griggs County: 12%Hettinger County: 43%Kidder County: 9%LaMoure County: 16%Logan County: 11%McHenry County: 9%McIntosh County: 22%McKenzie County: 16%McLean County: 9%Mercer County: 15%Morton County: 32%Mountrail County: 12%Nelson County: 19%Oliver County: 13%Pembina County: 29%Pierce County: 8%Ramsey County: 24%Ransom County: 12%Renville County: 6%Richland County: 29%Rolette County: 19%Sargent County: 16%Sheridan County: 15%Sioux County: 33%Slope County: 23%Stark County: 37%Steele County: 11%Stutsman County: 15%Towner County: 12%Traill County: 36%Walsh County: 21%Ward County: 12%Wells County: 10%Williams County: 8%
Expansive clay: share of mapped land where shrink-swell clay limits houses without basementsunder 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+
Adams County: 7%Barnes County: 63%Benson County: 69%Billings County: 4%Bottineau County: 83%Bowman County: 4%Burke County: 32%Burleigh County: 11%Cass County: 88%Cavalier County: 79%Dickey County: 60%Divide County: 23%Dunn County: 5%Eddy County: 63%Emmons County: 7%Foster County: 70%Golden Valley County: 3%Grand Forks County: 83%Grant County: 5%Griggs County: 65%Hettinger County: 7%Kidder County: 19%LaMoure County: 53%Logan County: 15%McHenry County: 73%McIntosh County: 12%McKenzie County: 4%McLean County: 13%Mercer County: 4%Morton County: 5%Mountrail County: 15%Nelson County: 71%Oliver County: 5%Pembina County: 94%Pierce County: 68%Ramsey County: 85%Ransom County: 62%Renville County: 86%Richland County: 90%Rolette County: 62%Sargent County: 71%Sheridan County: 31%Sioux County: 3%Slope County: 6%Stark County: 4%Steele County: 67%Stutsman County: 40%Towner County: 94%Traill County: 94%Walsh County: 80%Ward County: 44%Wells County: 55%Williams County: 9%
High water table: share of mapped land where a shallow water table limits basementsunder 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

Every county in North Dakota

Select a column heading to sort.
Adams County 33% 7% 22% 0 1964
Barnes County 18% 63% 100% 2 1966
Benson County 12% 69% 0% 0 1972
Billings County 25% 4% 100% 1 1983
Bottineau County 18% 83% 0% 0 1976
Bowman County 32% 4% 100% 0 1972
Burke County 30% 32% 0% 0 1969
Burleigh County 12% 11% 100% 2 1988
Cass County 44% 88% 100% 52 1993
Cavalier County 26% 79% 0% 0 1968
Dickey County 20% 60% 18% 0 1964
Divide County 21% 23% 0% 0 1963
Dunn County 22% 5% 100% 0 1983
Eddy County 6% 63% 97% 0 1966
Emmons County 14% 7% 89% 11 1965
Foster County 11% 70% 100% 1 1973
Golden Valley County 7% 3% 100% 0 1957
Grand Forks County 9% 83% 78% 107 1982
Grant County 23% 5% 100% 0 1962
Griggs County 12% 65% 100% 0 1958
Hettinger County 43% 7% 31% 0 1964
Kidder County 9% 19% 100% 0 1970
LaMoure County 16% 53% 81% 1 1965
Logan County 11% 15% 29% 1 1967
McHenry County 9% 73% 18% 0 1966
McIntosh County 22% 12% 13% 0 1955
McKenzie County 16% 4% 100% 1 2011
McLean County 9% 13% 100% 0 1975
Mercer County 15% 4% 100% 3 1981
Morton County 32% 5% 100% 7 1980
Mountrail County 12% 15% 35% 0 1997
Nelson County 19% 71% 62% 0 1963
Oliver County 13% 5% 100% 0 1976
Pembina County 29% 94% 0% 4 1969
Pierce County 8% 68% 2% 0 1972
Ramsey County 24% 85% 0% 0 1976
Ransom County 12% 62% 100% 4 1969
Renville County 6% 86% 0% 0 1973
Richland County 29% 90% 100% 3 1972
Rolette County 19% 62% 0% 0 1980
Sargent County 16% 71% 100% 0 1975
Sheridan County 15% 31% 100% 0 1967
Sioux County 33% 3% 100% 0 1984
Slope County 23% 6% 100% 0 1961
Stark County 37% 4% 100% 2 1986
Steele County 11% 67% 100% 0 1968
Stutsman County 15% 40% 99% 2 1973
Towner County 12% 94% 0% 0 1969
Traill County 36% 94% 100% 4 1964
Walsh County 21% 80% 0% 7 1971
Ward County 12% 44% 26% 13 1984
Wells County 10% 55% 100% 0 1964
Williams County 8% 9% 35% 3 2001

How these shares are counted

Shares are of mapped land in USDA's soil survey (SSURGO), weighted by each soil's share of every map unit. Drought is the US Drought Monitor's D1-or-worse share on the September 22, 2026 map. Flood losses are FEMA NFIP records since 2016. Sources and methods.