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Divide County, North Dakota
A shallow water table limits basements on 23% of Divide County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 21%.
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. 72% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1963.
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 Divide County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 21.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 22.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 57.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 27.0% |
| Mapped soil | 829,200 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Williams | 22% | 0% |
| Zahl | 19% | n/a |
| Parnell | 6% | n/a |
| Niobell | 6% | n/a |
| Noonan | 5% | n/a |
| Bowbells | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ND023 (2026-05-04)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.0% by land area here, and 27% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 21% of the mapped land.
On 23% of Divide 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: 14.92 in, 1.14 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 16.06 in.
USDA rates 57% 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 8 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 36.5% 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 Divide County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 16.06 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 14.92 in (-1.14) |
| 2025 | 16.89 in (+0.83) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1953: 24.16 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 6.19 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CROSBY (12 mi away) | 2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,413 |
| Median year built | 1963 |
| Built before 1980 | 72% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $167,600 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams County, ND | 32 mi | 8% | 9% |
| Burke County, ND | 45 mi | 30% | 32% |
| Sheridan County, MT | 47 mi | 6% | 2% |
| Mountrail County, ND | 67 mi | 12% | 15% |
| McKenzie County, ND | 74 mi | 16% | 4% |
| Roosevelt County, MT | 77 mi | 10% | 2% |
| Renville County, ND | 85 mi | 6% | 86% |
| Richland County, MT | 86 mi | 8% | 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