Jackson County, IA Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Jackson County, IA

Moderate

Soil across 77.2% of Jackson County, IA comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 3.25% 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 Jackson County, IA - 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 Jackson County.

Jackson County: the real numbers

Jackson 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, Jackson County, IA ranks 1,014 most-constrained nationally, and 72 of 99 within Iowa. Jackson County, IA is 636 square miles with a population of 19,390.

See how another county compares

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. West Feliciana Parish, LA and St. Mary's County, MD 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 Boone County, IA and Johnson County, IA. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.