Mineral County, Nevada
USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 5% of Mineral County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 2%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 46.8% 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. 69% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1971.
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 Mineral County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 5.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 2.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.9% |
| Mapped soil | 2,432,680 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Stewval | 4% | n/a |
| Downeyville | 4% | n/a |
| Blacktop | 4% | n/a |
| Izo | 3% | n/a |
| Gynelle | 3% | n/a |
| Hawsley | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NV774 (2025-09-02), NV799 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 6.55 in, 0.11 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 6.44 in.
USDA rates 86% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
With shrink-swell clay on 5% and a shallow water table on 2% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Mineral County; conditions still vary lot by lot.
Drought
46.8% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 23 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 46.8% of its area, in 4 weeks, most recently on the October 14, 2025 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 46.8% |
| 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 Mineral County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 6.44 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 6.55 in (+0.11) |
| 2025 | 7.14 in (+0.70) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1998: 11.82 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1928: 2.57 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HAWTHORNE (11 mi away) | 0.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,281 |
| Median year built | 1971 |
| Built before 1980 | 69% |
| Built 2000 or later | 6% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $156,200 |
| Single-family detached | 68% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mono County, CA | 49 mi | 3% | 7% |
| Lyon County, NV | 54 mi | 11% | 8% |
| Esmeralda County, NV | 66 mi | 4% | 4% |
| Douglas County, NV | 70 mi | 20% | 9% |
| Churchill County, NV | 71 mi | 11% | 11% |
| Alpine County, CA | 77 mi | 2% | 7% |
| Carson City, NV | 84 mi | 11% | 5% |
| Storey County, NV | 87 mi | 30% | under 1% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status