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Steele County, North Dakota
A shallow water table limits basements on 67% of Steele County's mapped land, a higher share than 79% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 11%.
100% 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. 67% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1968.
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 Steele County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 11.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 67.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 62.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 11.7% |
| Mapped soil | 457,800 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Barnes | 12% | 20% |
| Hamerly | 8% | n/a |
| Svea | 8% | n/a |
| Buse | 6% | n/a |
| Tonka | 5% | n/a |
| Balaton | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas ND091 (2026-05-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 67% of Steele 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: 15.84 in, 5.93 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 21.77 in.
USDA rates 62% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 11 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 66.8% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Steele County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 21.77 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 15.84 in (-5.93) |
| 2025 | 20.75 in (-1.02) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 30.21 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1936: 9.23 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at COLGATE (15 mi away) | 4.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,119 |
| Median year built | 1968 |
| Built before 1980 | 67% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $130,700 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Griggs County, ND | 24 mi | 12% | 65% |
| Traill County, ND | 26 mi | 36% | 94% |
| Grand Forks County, ND | 35 mi | 9% | 83% |
| Barnes County, ND | 39 mi | 18% | 63% |
| Nelson County, ND | 39 mi | 19% | 71% |
| Cass County, ND | 42 mi | 44% | 88% |
| Foster County, ND | 54 mi | 11% | 70% |
| Eddy County, ND | 58 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