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Burke County, North Dakota
A shallow water table limits basements on 32% of Burke County's mapped land, a higher share than 51% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 30%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 73% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1969.
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 Burke County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 29.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 31.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 69.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 37.8% |
| Mapped soil | 722,700 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Williams | 19% | 0% |
| Zahl | 13% | n/a |
| Niobell | 10% | n/a |
| Noonan | 7% | n/a |
| Tonka | 6% | n/a |
| Parnell | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ND013 (2026-05-04)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.7% by land area here, and 38% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 30% of the mapped land.
On 32% of Burke 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: 15.16 in, 2.54 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 17.70 in.
USDA rates 70% 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. Part of the county was in drought in 4 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 21.5% of its area, on the August 11, 2026 map.
| 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
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Burke County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 17.70 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 15.16 in (-2.54) |
| 2025 | 17.17 in (-0.53) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1975: 26.53 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 7.01 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at STANLEY 3 NNW (30 mi away) | 2.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,362 |
| Median year built | 1969 |
| Built before 1980 | 73% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $158,100 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renville County, ND | 40 mi | 6% | 86% |
| Mountrail County, ND | 40 mi | 12% | 15% |
| Divide County, ND | 45 mi | 21% | 23% |
| Williams County, ND | 54 mi | 8% | 9% |
| Ward County, ND | 60 mi | 12% | 44% |
| Bottineau County, ND | 77 mi | 18% | 83% |
| McKenzie County, ND | 83 mi | 16% | 4% |
| Sheridan County, MT | 92 mi | 6% | 2% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (May 4, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status