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Sheridan County, North Dakota
A shallow water table limits basements on 31% of Sheridan County's mapped land, a higher share than 50% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 15%.
83.7% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, down from 93% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 76% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1967.
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 Sheridan County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 14.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 31.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 45.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 16.8% |
| Mapped soil | 643,700 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Williams | 16% | 0% |
| Zahl | 10% | n/a |
| Parnell | 7% | n/a |
| Bowbells | 7% | n/a |
| Heimdal | 6% | n/a |
| Emrick | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ND083 (2026-05-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 31% of Sheridan 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: 16.52 in, 2.06 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 18.58 in.
Drought
83.7% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 11 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 | 99.9% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 83.7% |
| D2 severe or worse | 39.1% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Sheridan County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 18.58 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 16.52 in (-2.06) |
| 2025 | 21.38 in (+2.80) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2000: 25.85 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1936: 8.22 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MC CLUSKY (9 mi away) | 2.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 838 |
| Median year built | 1967 |
| Built before 1980 | 76% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 84% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $110,300 |
| Single-family detached | 85% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells County, ND | 30 mi | 10% | 55% |
| Burleigh County, ND | 42 mi | 12% | 11% |
| Kidder County, ND | 47 mi | 9% | 19% |
| McHenry County, ND | 47 mi | 9% | 73% |
| Pierce County, ND | 48 mi | 8% | 68% |
| McLean County, ND | 51 mi | 9% | 13% |
| Benson County, ND | 57 mi | 12% | 69% |
| Oliver County, ND | 57 mi | 13% | 5% |
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