Pierce County, Wisconsin
A shallow water table limits basements on 39% of Pierce County's mapped land, a higher share than 58% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 8%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 18 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 Pierce County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 7.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 39.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 17.3% |
| Mapped soil | 378,732 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hersey | 15% | n/a |
| Seaton | 9% | n/a |
| Vlasaty | 9% | n/a |
| Pepin | 7% | n/a |
| Whalan | 5% | n/a |
| Dorerton | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas WI093 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 39% of Pierce 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: 24.21 in, 10.20 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 34.41 in.
USDA rates 85% 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 13 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 10 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 | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
18 flood losses since 2016, $714,641 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 34.41 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 24.21 in (-10.20) |
| 2025 | 33.04 in (-1.37) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1938: 43.96 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 13.01 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ELLSWORTH 1E (2 mi away) | 8.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 17,152 |
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Built before 1980 | 50% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $333,700 |
| Single-family detached | 74% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Croix County, WI | 21 mi | under 1% | 33% |
| Goodhue County, MN | 26 mi | 1% | 48% |
| Pepin County, WI | 30 mi | 3% | 25% |
| Dunn County, WI | 30 mi | 1% | 35% |
| Dakota County, MN | 31 mi | 2% | 23% |
| Wabasha County, MN | 32 mi | 6% | 36% |
| Washington County, MN | 32 mi | under 1% | 23% |
| Ramsey County, MN | 39 mi | 0% | 14% |
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