Cascade County, MT Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Cascade County, MT

Moderate

Soil across 46% of Cascade County, MT comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 3.98% linear extensibility. A real but modest amount of movement - standard foundations usually hold up, but drainage and moisture control around the foundation still matter more than on low-risk soil.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Cascade County, MT - never a reading for one specific parcel. The real answer for one lot is still a site-specific geotechnical report, running about $1,000-$5,000 (typically near $2,700).

Cascade County: the real numbers

Cascade 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, Cascade County, MT ranks 577 most-constrained nationally, and 17 of 54 within Montana. Cascade County, MT is 2,698 square miles with a population of 84,523.

See how another county compares

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Menard County, TX and Nye County, NV 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 Montana

Every county in Montana is on this site, including Valley County, MT and Carter County, MT. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.