Florence County, Wisconsin
A shallow water table limits basements on 41% of Florence County's mapped land, a higher share than 59% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
100% 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. 52% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1979.
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 Florence County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 40.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 318,215 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Padus | 17% | n/a |
| Pence | 13% | n/a |
| Sarona | 8% | n/a |
| Vilas | 7% | n/a |
| Vanzile | 6% | n/a |
| Lupton | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas WI037 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 41% of Florence 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: 29.74 in, 0.77 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 30.51 in.
USDA rates 96% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 30 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 9 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 100% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Florence County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 30.51 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 29.74 in (-0.77) |
| 2025 | 30.71 in (+0.20) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1951: 41.07 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 17.57 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at STAMBAUGH 2SSE (17 mi away) | 4.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,638 |
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Built before 1980 | 52% |
| Built 2000 or later | 24% |
| Owner-occupied | 91% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $173,200 |
| Single-family detached | 87% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron County, MI | 22 mi | 0% | 57% |
| Forest County, WI | 23 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Dickinson County, MI | 28 mi | 0% | 36% |
| Marinette County, WI | 41 mi | under 1% | 42% |
| Menominee County, MI | 49 mi | under 1% | 60% |
| Langlade County, WI | 53 mi | 0% | 41% |
| Vilas County, WI | 54 mi | 0% | 36% |
| Oneida County, WI | 55 mi | 0% | 47% |
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