Fulton County, IL Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Fulton County, IL

Moderate

Soil across 72.5% of Fulton County, IL comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 3.65% 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 Fulton County, IL - 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 Fulton County.

Fulton County: the real numbers

Fulton 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, Fulton County, IL ranks 756 most-constrained nationally, and 52 of 101 within Illinois. The county spans 866 square miles, home to 32,510 people.

Before you act on this

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Johnson County, TX and Monroe County, TN 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 Illinois

Every county in Illinois is on this site, including Macon County, IL and Tazewell County, IL. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.