Haakon County, SD Shrink-Swell Risk
Shrink-swell potential in Haakon County, SD
High
Soil across 53.1% of Haakon County, SD comes back "High" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 8.67% linear extensibility. Soil at this level can crack a standard foundation without moisture-control measures - consistent watering near the foundation, correct grading, root barriers - or added structural design.
What this number does and doesn't tell you
This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Haakon County, SD - 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 Haakon County.
Haakon County: the real numbers
Haakon County's soil reading is exactly the case where a report before construction, or before cracks widen, pays for itself. A geotechnical report runs $1,000-$5,000 (typically $2,700); an actual foundation repair, once cracking sets in, typically runs $5,000-$15,000 (around $10,000 typical) - roughly 4x the report.
Where this sits nationally
Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Haakon County, SD ranks 50 most-constrained nationally, and 6 of 66 within South Dakota. The county spans 1,811 square miles, home to 1,834 people.
See how another county compares
Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Terrell County, TX and Pershing County, NV are worth a look for comparison.
How this reading is built, and its real limits · The warning signs of expansive-clay damage, explained
Elsewhere in South Dakota
Every county in South Dakota is on this site, including Union County, SD and Hyde County, SD. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.