Taylor County, IA Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Taylor County, IA

Moderate

Soil across 69.7% of Taylor County, IA comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 5.52% linear extensibility. A real but modest amount of movement - standard foundations usually hold up, but drainage and moisture control around the foundation still matter more than on low-risk soil.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Taylor County, IA - never a reading for one specific parcel. The real answer for one lot is still a site-specific geotechnical report, running about $1,000-$5,000 (typically near $2,700).

Taylor County: the real numbers

Taylor 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, Taylor County, IA ranks 213 most-constrained nationally, and 8 of 99 within Iowa. Taylor County covers 532 square miles and counts 5,825 residents.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Coryell County, TX and Hood River County, OR 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 Marshall County, IA and Fremont County, IA. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.