Elmore County, ID Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Elmore County, ID

Low

Soil across 78.7% of Elmore County, ID comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 2.41% 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 Elmore County, ID - 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 Elmore County will actually do.

Elmore County: the real numbers

Elmore 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, Elmore County, ID ranks 1,634 most-constrained nationally, and 16 of 44 within Idaho. The county spans 3,075 square miles, home to 29,729 people.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Oconto County, WI and Whiteside County, IL 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 Idaho

Every county in Idaho is on this site, including Kootenai County, ID and Oneida County, ID. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.