Rusk County, Wisconsin
A shallow water table limits basements on 84% of Rusk County's mapped land, a higher share than 91% of US counties and the 3rd highest of 72 Wisconsin 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 no flood losses here since 2016. 55% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.
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 Rusk County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 83.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 595,622 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Magnor | 19% | n/a |
| Freeon | 14% | n/a |
| Newood | 6% | n/a |
| Almena | 6% | n/a |
| Cathro | 5% | n/a |
| Capitola | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas WI107 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 84% of Rusk 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: 23.57 in, 9.35 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 32.92 in.
USDA rates 95% 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 26 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 20 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 | 16.9% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Rusk County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 32.92 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 23.57 in (-9.35) |
| 2025 | 27.49 in (-5.43) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1968: 48.35 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1976: 18.51 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WINTER (24 mi away) | 8.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,663 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 55% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $163,400 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sawyer County, WI | 27 mi | 0% | 60% |
| Chippewa County, WI | 29 mi | under 1% | 55% |
| Barron County, WI | 35 mi | 0% | 48% |
| Taylor County, WI | 36 mi | 0% | 88% |
| Price County, WI | 40 mi | 0% | 79% |
| Washburn County, WI | 43 mi | under 1% | 37% |
| Dunn County, WI | 52 mi | 1% | 35% |
| Eau Claire County, WI | 52 mi | 0% | 35% |
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