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Ramsey County, North Dakota
A shallow water table limits basements on 85% of Ramsey County's mapped land, a higher share than 92% of US counties and the 7th highest of 53 North Dakota counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 24%.
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. 60% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1976.
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 Ramsey County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 23.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 84.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 28.3% |
| Mapped soil | 832,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hamerly | 14% | n/a |
| Balaton | 12% | n/a |
| Souris | 9% | n/a |
| Parnell | 7% | n/a |
| Vallers | 6% | n/a |
| Svea | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ND071 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.7% by land area here, and 28% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 24% of the mapped land.
On 85% of Ramsey 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: 17.02 in, 3.08 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 20.10 in.
USDA rates 85% 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 2 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 91.3% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the September 1, 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 Ramsey County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 20.10 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 17.02 in (-3.08) |
| 2025 | 17.78 in (-2.32) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2024: 27.30 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1952: 10.18 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at DEVILS LAKE KDLR (12 mi away) | 3.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,872 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 60% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 55% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $199,300 |
| Single-family detached | 58% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benson County, ND | 31 mi | 12% | 69% |
| Nelson County, ND | 34 mi | 19% | 71% |
| Cavalier County, ND | 37 mi | 26% | 79% |
| Towner County, ND | 37 mi | 12% | 94% |
| Eddy County, ND | 38 mi | 6% | 63% |
| Walsh County, ND | 47 mi | 21% | 80% |
| Foster County, ND | 55 mi | 11% | 70% |
| Pierce County, ND | 56 mi | 8% | 68% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status