HomeNorth DakotaKidder County
Kidder County, North Dakota
A shallow water table limits basements on 19% of Kidder County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 9%.
89.6% 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. 59% 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 Kidder County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 18.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 63.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 9.3% |
| Mapped soil | 918,000 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Appam | 12% | n/a |
| Zahl | 11% | n/a |
| Williams | 10% | 0% |
| Bowbells | 7% | n/a |
| Wabek | 7% | n/a |
| Parnell | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ND043 (2026-05-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 19% of Kidder 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: 16.19 in, 2.98 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 19.17 in.
USDA rates 64% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
89.6% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 9 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 5 weeks, most recently on the September 22, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 89.6% |
| 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 Kidder County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 19.17 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 16.19 in (-2.98) |
| 2025 | 21.46 in (+2.29) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 28.34 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1936: 6.58 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at STEELE 4N (13 mi away) | 3.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,660 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 59% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $156,600 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burleigh County, ND | 33 mi | 12% | 11% |
| Stutsman County, ND | 38 mi | 15% | 40% |
| Wells County, ND | 38 mi | 10% | 55% |
| Logan County, ND | 41 mi | 11% | 15% |
| Sheridan County, ND | 47 mi | 15% | 31% |
| Foster County, ND | 52 mi | 11% | 70% |
| Emmons County, ND | 56 mi | 14% | 7% |
| Eddy County, ND | 63 mi | 6% | 63% |
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