Juneau County, Wisconsin
A shallow water table limits basements on 62% of Juneau County's mapped land, a higher share than 75% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 68 flood losses here since 2016, 66% of them in buildings with basements. 49% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1981.
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 Juneau County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 61.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.8% |
| Mapped soil | 514,752 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Ponycreek | 10% | n/a |
| Majik | 10% | n/a |
| Norden | 7% | n/a |
| Tint | 6% | n/a |
| Urne | 5% | n/a |
| Dawsil | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas WI057 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 62% of Juneau 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: 32.80 in, 2.63 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 35.43 in.
USDA rates 94% 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 6 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 63% of its area, in 5 weeks, most recently on the September 8, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 2.1% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
68 flood losses since 2016, $3.6 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 59. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 66% basements, 17% slabs, 7% crawl spaces, 10% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 27 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 59 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.43 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 32.80 in (-2.63) |
| 2025 | 32.91 in (-2.52) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 49.47 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1958: 19.85 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MAUSTON 1 SE (10 mi away) | 7.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 14,767 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 49% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $177,700 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County, WI | 17 mi | 2% | 40% |
| Monroe County, WI | 25 mi | 5% | 28% |
| Marquette County, WI | 36 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Sauk County, WI | 36 mi | 1% | 26% |
| Wood County, WI | 37 mi | 4% | 80% |
| Richland County, WI | 42 mi | 7% | 15% |
| Vernon County, WI | 42 mi | 8% | 8% |
| Jackson County, WI | 43 mi | 0% | 42% |
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