Sheboygan County, Wisconsin
A shallow water table limits basements on 37% of Sheboygan County's mapped land, a higher share than 55% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 33%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 8 flood losses here since 2016. 64% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1970.
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 Sheboygan County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 33.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 36.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 26.2% |
| Mapped soil | 331,565 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Kewaunee | 20% | n/a |
| Manawa | 7% | n/a |
| Casco | 7% | n/a |
| Theresa | 5% | n/a |
| Fox | 5% | 1% |
| Waymor | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas WI117 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.4% by land area here, and 26% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 33% of the mapped land.
On 37% of Sheboygan 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: 27.72 in, 4.62 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 32.34 in.
USDA rates 86% 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 29 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, on the July 28, 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
8 flood losses since 2016, $220,664 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 32.34 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 27.72 in (-4.62) |
| 2025 | 26.93 in (-5.41) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 40.32 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1958: 19.37 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PLYMOUTH WWTP (12 mi away) | 6.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 53,067 |
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $232,700 |
| Single-family detached | 67% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozaukee County, WI | 17 mi | 41% | 43% |
| Manitowoc County, WI | 30 mi | 38% | 47% |
| Calumet County, WI | 33 mi | 44% | 42% |
| Washington County, WI | 35 mi | 1% | 44% |
| Fond du Lac County, WI | 38 mi | 13% | 50% |
| Winnebago County, WI | 52 mi | 33% | 48% |
| Brown County, WI | 52 mi | 47% | 32% |
| Dodge County, WI | 53 mi | 7% | 59% |
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