Boone County, IA Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Boone County, IA

Low

Soil across 73.1% of Boone County, IA comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 2.85% 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 Boone County, IA - never a reading for one specific parcel. A local geotechnical report, typically $1,000-$5,000 (around $2,700 typical), is the only way to know what one lot in Boone County will actually do.

Boone County: the real numbers

Boone 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.

Boone County's rank among Iowa counties

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Boone County, IA ranks 1,314 most-constrained nationally, and 94 of 99 within Iowa. Boone County covers 570 square miles and counts 26,729 residents.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Osceola County, MI and Platte County, NE 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 Iowa

Every county in Iowa is on this site, including Ringgold County, IA and Howard County, IA. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.