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Brule County, South Dakota

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 43% of Brule County's mapped land, a higher share than 88% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 12%.

None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 5 flood losses here since 2016. 63% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1971.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

43%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

12%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

63%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Brule County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)43.2%
High water table (limits basements)12.0%
Septic fields very limited74.6%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)7.1%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)44.5%
Mapped soil851,053 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Highmore13%n/a
Mobridge9%n/a
Java8%n/a
Promise7%n/a
Plankinton6%n/a
Eakin6%n/a
Buffalo County: 43%Aurora County: 42%Jerauld County: 34%Gregory County: 68%Lyman County: 89%Douglas County: 33%Charles Mix County: 29%Davison County: 18%Brule County BuffaloAuroraJerauldGregoryLymanDouglasCharles MixDavisonBrule
Brule 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 SD603 (2025-09-10)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.1% by land area here, and 44% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 43% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 20.00 in, 3.25 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 23.25 in.

USDA rates 75% 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 36 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 20 weeks, most recently on the July 28, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse26.9%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

5 flood losses since 2016, $110,836 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 5.

YearFlood losses
20160
20170
20180
20190
20205
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202023.25 in
12 months to August 202620.00 in (-3.25)
202522.08 in (-1.17)
Wettest year since 18952019: 37.93 in
Driest year since 18951934: 10.57 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CHAMBERLAIN 5 S (11 mi away)5.5

Homes

Housing units2,367
Median year built1971
Built before 198063%
Built 2000 or later18%
Owner-occupied76%
Median value, owner-occupied$216,800
Single-family detached77%

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
Buffalo County, SD 22 mi 43% 12%
Aurora County, SD 26 mi 42% 19%
Jerauld County, SD 33 mi 34% 22%
Gregory County, SD 39 mi 68% 7%
Lyman County, SD 39 mi 89% 8%
Douglas County, SD 44 mi 33% 21%
Charles Mix County, SD 44 mi 29% 13%
Davison County, SD 47 mi 18% 20%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 10, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status