Cerro Gordo County, IA Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Cerro Gordo County, IA

Moderate

Soil across 53.6% of Cerro Gordo County, IA comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 3.04% linear extensibility. That's a middle reading: not the sharp swings that crack a foundation outright, but enough that grading and drainage are worth getting right.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Cerro Gordo 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 Cerro Gordo County will actually do.

Cerro Gordo County: the real numbers

Cerro Gordo 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.

Cerro Gordo County's rank among Iowa counties

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Cerro Gordo County, IA ranks 1,165 most-constrained nationally, and 85 of 99 within Iowa. Cerro Gordo County, IA is 568 square miles with a population of 42,493.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Rhea County, TN and Storey 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 Iowa

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