Oneida County, Wisconsin
A shallow water table limits basements on 47% of Oneida County's mapped land, a higher share than 64% 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 3 flood losses here since 2016. 50% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1980.
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 Oneida County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 47.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 791,347 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Padus | 13% | n/a |
| Sayner | 10% | n/a |
| Vilas | 9% | n/a |
| Pence | 7% | n/a |
| Loxley | 5% | n/a |
| Keweenaw | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas WI085 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 47% of Oneida 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: 28.32 in, 4.91 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 33.23 in.
USDA rates 90% 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 32 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 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 | 98.8% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
3 flood losses since 2016, $14,773 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 33.23 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 28.32 in (-4.91) |
| 2025 | 30.87 in (-2.36) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2016: 42.89 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 18.15 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RHINELANDER (9 mi away) | 6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 30,814 |
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Built before 1980 | 50% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $238,400 |
| Single-family detached | 84% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vilas County, WI | 23 mi | 0% | 36% |
| Lincoln County, WI | 28 mi | 0% | 74% |
| Forest County, WI | 37 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Langlade County, WI | 39 mi | 0% | 41% |
| Price County, WI | 40 mi | 0% | 79% |
| Gogebic County, MI | 55 mi | 1% | 84% |
| Iron County, WI | 55 mi | 1% | 75% |
| Florence County, WI | 55 mi | 0% | 41% |
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