Benton County, MN Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Benton County, MN

Low

Soil across 99.2% of Benton County, MN comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 1.14% linear extensibility. That's the easiest starting point on this site's scale - a standard foundation is the reasonable default here, though any one lot can still differ.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Benton County, MN - never a reading for one specific parcel. A site-specific soil report, usually $1,000-$5,000, is what an engineer would actually pull before designing a foundation on a lot in Benton County.

Benton County: the real numbers

Benton County's soil reading points toward standard foundation practice as the likely outcome, not the exception. A geotechnical report runs $1,000-$5,000, typically around $2,700. Foundation repair, if a specific lot turns out to differ from the county average, runs $5,000-$15,000.

Where this sits nationally

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Benton County, MN ranks 2,810 most-constrained nationally, and 82 of 87 within Minnesota. Benton County, MN is 408 square miles with a population of 41,881.

Before you act on this

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Chippewa County, MI and Pocahontas County, IA are worth a look for comparison.

How this reading is built, and its real limits · Moisture management: the cheap fix that works on any soil

Elsewhere in Minnesota

Every county in Minnesota is on this site, including Sibley County, MN and Anoka County, MN. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.