HomeNorth DakotaWilliams County

Williams County, North Dakota

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 8% of Williams County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 9%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 11.7% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.

FEMA's flood data list 3 flood losses here since 2016. 37% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 2001.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

8%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

9%

high water table: limits basements

12%

in drought, October 13, 2026

37%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Williams County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)7.6%
High water table (limits basements)8.6%
Septic fields very limited60.6%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)3.9%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)8.3%
Mapped soil1,374,500 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Williams26%0%
Bowbells12%n/a
Zahl10%n/a
Zahill8%n/a
Vida5%n/a
Arnegard2%n/a
Divide County: 21%McKenzie County: 16%Sheridan County: 6%Mountrail County: 12%Burke County: 30%Richland County: 8%Roosevelt County: 10%Dunn County: 22%Williams County DivideMcKenzieSheridanMountrailBurkeRichlandRooseveltDunnWilliams
Williams County (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by expansive clay share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas ND105 (2026-05-04)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 12.94 in, 2.44 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 15.38 in.

USDA rates 61% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 8% and a shallow water table on 9% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Williams County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

Drought

11.7% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 24 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, on the August 11, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse45.8%
D1 moderate drought or worse11.7%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

3 flood losses since 2016, $148,073 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 2.

YearFlood losses
20160
20170
20180
20190
20201
20210
20220
20232
20240
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202015.38 in
12 months to August 202612.94 in (-2.44)
202517.44 in (+2.06)
Wettest year since 18952013: 21.71 in
Driest year since 18951934: 6.00 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WILLISTON SLOULIN INTL AP (14 mi away)2.2

Homes

Housing units20,376
Median year built2001
Built before 198037%
Built 2000 or later51%
Owner-occupied53%
Median value, owner-occupied$284,800
Single-family detached43%

What repairs cost

Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.

WorkRangeSource
Foundation repair, US $2,200 to $8,200 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Pier-and-beam repair, US $2,000 to $15,000 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Foundation inspection, US $300 to $600 Fixr, January 31, 2025

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Divide County, ND 32 mi 21% 23%
McKenzie County, ND 43 mi 16% 4%
Sheridan County, MT 53 mi 6% 2%
Mountrail County, ND 53 mi 12% 15%
Burke County, ND 54 mi 30% 32%
Richland County, MT 63 mi 8% 2%
Roosevelt County, MT 69 mi 10% 2%
Dunn County, ND 81 mi 22% 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