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Todd County, South Dakota

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 12% of Todd County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 9%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.

FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016. 48% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1981.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

12%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

9%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

48%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Todd County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)12.1%
High water table (limits basements)9.3%
Septic fields very limited89.3%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)3.0%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)13.2%
Mapped soil888,742 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Anselmo14%n/a
Valentine13%0%
Tuthill7%n/a
Longpine5%n/a
Vetal5%n/a
Holt5%n/a
Mellette County: 61%Tripp County: 61%Cherry County: 0%Bennett County: 10%Jones County: 94%Keya Paha County: 8%Jackson County: 45%Lyman County: 89%Todd County MelletteTrippCherryBennettJonesKeya PahaJacksonLymanTodd
Todd 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 SD121 (2025-09-10)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 20.85 in, 1.38 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 22.23 in.

USDA rates 89% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 12% and a shallow water table on 9% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Todd County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

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 27 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 20 weeks, most recently on the August 4, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse36.6%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

2 flood losses since 2016, $575 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 1.

YearFlood losses
20161
20170
20180
20191
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202022.23 in
12 months to August 202620.85 in (-1.38)
202521.91 in (-0.32)
Wettest year since 18952019: 34.39 in
Driest year since 18951974: 11.80 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MISSION 14 S (8 mi away)4.4

Homes

Housing units2,879
Median year built1981
Built before 198048%
Built 2000 or later19%
Owner-occupied46%
Median value, owner-occupied$53,900
Single-family detached64%

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
Mellette County, SD 26 mi 61% 3%
Tripp County, SD 43 mi 61% 9%
Cherry County, NE 47 mi under 1% 16%
Bennett County, SD 49 mi 10% 8%
Jones County, SD 51 mi 94% 7%
Keya Paha County, NE 55 mi 8% 15%
Jackson County, SD 56 mi 45% 2%
Lyman County, SD 64 mi 89% 8%

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