Dodge County, Wisconsin
A shallow water table limits basements on 59% of Dodge County's mapped land, a higher share than 73% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 7%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 7 flood losses here since 2016. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1970.
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 Dodge County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 6.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 59.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 76.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.1% |
| Mapped soil | 581,268 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Pella | 11% | n/a |
| St. Charles | 11% | n/a |
| Miami | 9% | n/a |
| Houghton | 8% | n/a |
| Elburn | 7% | n/a |
| Plano | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas WI027 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 59% of Dodge 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: 31.72 in, 3.36 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 35.08 in.
USDA rates 77% 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 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 86.8% of its area, on the July 28, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
7 flood losses since 2016, $82,153 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 7.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.08 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 31.72 in (-3.36) |
| 2025 | 31.41 in (-3.67) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 49.16 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1895: 20.51 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HORICON WWTP (4 mi away) | 7.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 38,524 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $231,900 |
| Single-family detached | 72% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, WI | 24 mi | 1% | 44% |
| Fond du Lac County, WI | 25 mi | 13% | 50% |
| Green Lake County, WI | 28 mi | 2% | 48% |
| Jefferson County, WI | 29 mi | 4% | 57% |
| Columbia County, WI | 32 mi | 1% | 48% |
| Waukesha County, WI | 35 mi | 3% | 42% |
| Ozaukee County, WI | 43 mi | 41% | 43% |
| Dane County, WI | 44 mi | 7% | 34% |
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