Racine County, Wisconsin
A shallow water table limits basements on 76% of Racine County's mapped land, a higher share than 86% of US counties and the 6th highest of 72 Wisconsin counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 15%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 41 flood losses here since 2016, 77% of them in buildings with basements. 66% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1968.
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 Racine County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 14.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 76.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 14.3% |
| Mapped soil | 218,087 acres |
How we count · survey areas WI101 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 76% of Racine 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: 37.48 in, 2.20 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 35.28 in.
USDA rates 92% 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 3 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the June 9, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
41 flood losses since 2016, $1.3 million paid. The worst year was 2017, with 22. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 77% basements, 8% slabs, 4% crawl spaces, 12% elevated.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 22 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 35.28 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.48 in (+2.20) |
| 2025 | 30.75 in (-4.53) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 47.58 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1901: 19.75 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RACINE (5 mi away) | 8.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 85,658 |
| Median year built | 1968 |
| Built before 1980 | 66% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $251,400 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee County, WI | 10 mi | 8% | 57% |
| Kenosha County, WI | 14 mi | 15% | 76% |
| Waukesha County, WI | 31 mi | 3% | 42% |
| Walworth County, WI | 40 mi | under 1% | 33% |
| Lake County, IL | 41 mi | 16% | 87% |
| McHenry County, IL | 47 mi | 2% | 54% |
| Washington County, WI | 48 mi | 1% | 44% |
| Ozaukee County, WI | 50 mi | 41% | 43% |
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