Menominee County, Wisconsin
A shallow water table limits basements on 33% of Menominee County's mapped land, a higher share than 52% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
24% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, up from 2% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 37% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1985.
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 Menominee County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 33.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 233,664 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Padus | 14% | n/a |
| Frechette | 7% | n/a |
| Kennan | 5% | n/a |
| Lupton | 4% | n/a |
| Karlin | 4% | n/a |
| Cathro | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas WI078 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 33% of Menominee 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: 32.06 in, 0.40 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 32.46 in.
USDA rates 89% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
24% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 29 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 16 weeks, most recently on the February 17, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 24% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Menominee County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 32.46 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 32.06 in (-0.40) |
| 2025 | 29.70 in (-2.76) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 47.19 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1976: 19.74 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SHAWANO 2SSW (16 mi away) | 6.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,186 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 37% |
| Built 2000 or later | 17% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $110,200 |
| Single-family detached | 90% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shawano County, WI | 15 mi | under 1% | 50% |
| Oconto County, WI | 23 mi | 0% | 51% |
| Langlade County, WI | 27 mi | 0% | 41% |
| Waupaca County, WI | 38 mi | 1% | 46% |
| Outagamie County, WI | 41 mi | 20% | 54% |
| Marinette County, WI | 41 mi | under 1% | 42% |
| Forest County, WI | 47 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Brown County, WI | 49 mi | 47% | 32% |
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