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Renville County, North Dakota
A shallow water table limits basements on 86% of Renville County's mapped land, a higher share than 93% of US counties and the 6th highest of 53 North Dakota counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6%.
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. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1973.
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 Renville County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 5.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 86.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 13.6% |
| Mapped soil | 571,300 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hamlet | 32% | n/a |
| Souris | 17% | n/a |
| Tonka | 10% | n/a |
| Wyard | 8% | n/a |
| Barnes | 5% | 20% |
| Balaton | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ND075 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 86% of Renville 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: 13.71 in, 3.34 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 17.05 in.
USDA rates 88% 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 48.4% of its area, in 4 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 Renville County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 17.05 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 13.71 in (-3.34) |
| 2025 | 16.11 in (-0.94) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1975: 25.56 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 7.58 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LANSFORD (14 mi away) | 3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,339 |
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $166,000 |
| Single-family detached | 72% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ward County, ND | 35 mi | 12% | 44% |
| Bottineau County, ND | 38 mi | 18% | 83% |
| Burke County, ND | 40 mi | 30% | 32% |
| Mountrail County, ND | 47 mi | 12% | 15% |
| McHenry County, ND | 57 mi | 9% | 73% |
| McLean County, ND | 74 mi | 9% | 13% |
| Rolette County, ND | 83 mi | 19% | 62% |
| Pierce County, ND | 84 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