Clayton County, Iowa · Elkader
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Clayton County averages 66 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly November to March, and 50% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 8.9 times a year here, most often in September. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Backups often follow heavy rain, which Clayton County gets about 8.9 days a year, when storm water overloads sewer mains and pushes up through the lowest drain in the house.
In Clayton County, 4.65 inches fell on the wettest day of the 2015–2024 record. Storms like that, and ice dams in snowy winters, cause most roof leaks.
38% of occupied homes in Clayton County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Iowa county median of 22.1%.
With 22 muggy nights a year, mold in Clayton County can appear within days of a leak. Dry first, then clean.
Local risk profile
About 17,013 people live in Clayton County, 778 square miles in northeast Iowa, in roughly 8,796 homes. The county seat is Elkader, and Guttenberg, Monona and Strawberry Point round out the largest towns. Half the homes here were built before 1960, half after.
64/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Clayton County ranks 16 of 99 Iowa counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Clayton County ranks highest compared with other Iowa counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in Clayton County sits near the middle of the state. From 2015–2024 it averaged 66 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 147 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 36th of 99 counties.
On January 31, 2019 the low fell to about -32°F, and in the stretch ending January 2018 the county went 17 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
Most freezing nights fall from November to March, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
Freezing nights typically start around Oct 16 and end around May 2.
Heavy rain is a bigger factor here than in most of Iowa. The county gets about 39.1 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 8.9 days of an inch or more (5th of 99). Those downpours cluster in June, July and September, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 4.65 inches on July 22, 2017. The worst three-day stretch dropped 6.16 inches, ending July 22, 2017, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 94 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
68% of homes in Clayton County predate 1980, close to the Iowa county median of 72.8%, which ranks 61st of Iowa's 99 counties.
Growth since 2000 added 18% of today's homes. In houses that new, the weak points are washing machine hoses, ice maker lines, water heaters and sump pumps rather than the pipes in the walls.
The Census counted 15% of homes as vacant, above the Iowa county median of 9.5%. Empty houses are where a small leak turns into a large claim, because nobody is there to hear it.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 22 times a year here, below the Iowa county median of 29. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectHeating fuel matters for fire risk. In Clayton County it's 44% utility gas, 16% electric, 33% propane and 6% wood. Wood and propane heat are above the Iowa norm. Annual chimney and vent inspection, which the NFPA recommends, is one of the most effective fire-prevention habits for these homes.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Clayton County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Allamakee and Fayette get more pipe-freeze nights than Clayton. Fayette County has the oldest housing nearby, with 75% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Clayton | Iowa median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 50% | 48% | 40 of 99 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 68% | 73% | 61 of 99 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 18% | 13% | 20 of 99 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 4.5% | 3.2% | 25 of 99 |
| Vacant homes | 15% | 9.5% | 16 of 99 |
| Wood or propane heat | 38% | 22% | 13 of 99 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 66/yr | 62/yr | 36 of 99 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 8.9/yr | 7.1/yr | 5 of 99 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 94/yr | 94/yr | 42 of 99 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 22/yr | 29/yr | 71 of 99 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Iowa county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Clayton County: freezing from November to March, heavy rain in June, July and September.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology