McLean County, IL Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in McLean County, IL

Moderate

Soil across 86.8% of McLean County, IL comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 4.22% 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 McLean 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 McLean County.

McLean County: the real numbers

McLean 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.

How McLean County, IL compares

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, McLean County, IL ranks 461 most-constrained nationally, and 18 of 101 within Illinois. McLean County, IL is 1,183 square miles with a population of 172,069.

See how another county compares

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Alleghany County, VA and Ashley County, AR 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 Mercer County, IL and Wayne County, IL. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.