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Cass County, North Dakota
A shallow water table limits basements on 88% of Cass County's mapped land, a higher share than 95% of US counties and the 5th highest of 53 North Dakota counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 44%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 52 flood losses here since 2016, 94% of them in buildings with basements. 35% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1993.
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 Cass County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 44.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 88.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 44.7% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.8% |
| Mapped soil | 1,131,500 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Fargo | 24% | n/a |
| Hegne | 7% | n/a |
| Bearden | 5% | n/a |
| Hamerly | 5% | n/a |
| Barnes | 4% | 20% |
| Kindred | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ND017 (2026-05-04)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.1% by land area here, and 45% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 44% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 44% of Cass County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 88% of Cass 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: 14.14 in, 8.69 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 22.83 in.
USDA rates 85% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 14 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 13.4% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
52 flood losses since 2016, $159,484 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 23. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 94% basements, 3% slabs, 3% elevated.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 23 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 22.83 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 14.14 in (-8.69) |
| 2025 | 21.84 in (-0.99) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 29.83 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1936: 9.36 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CASSELTON AGRONOMY FARM (4 mi away) | 5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 89,038 |
| Median year built | 1993 |
| Built before 1980 | 35% |
| Built 2000 or later | 41% |
| Owner-occupied | 52% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $298,000 |
| Single-family detached | 43% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, MN | 36 mi | 17% | 84% |
| Traill County, ND | 36 mi | 36% | 94% |
| Ransom County, ND | 38 mi | 12% | 62% |
| Barnes County, ND | 39 mi | 18% | 63% |
| Steele County, ND | 42 mi | 11% | 67% |
| Norman County, MN | 46 mi | 27% | 93% |
| Richland County, ND | 48 mi | 29% | 90% |
| Wilkin County, MN | 54 mi | 17% | 95% |
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