Kittson County, Minnesota · Hallock
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Kittson County averages 114 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly November to April, and 42% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 2.9 times a year here, most often in July. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Kittson County spike on heavy-rain days, about 2.9 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 74 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
39% of occupied homes in Kittson County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Minnesota county median of 30%.
Muggy summer nights, lows of 65°F or more, come about 5 times a year in Kittson County. Mold after a leak spreads fastest from June through August.
Local risk profile
About 4,084 people live in Kittson County, 1,099 square miles in northwest Minnesota, in roughly 2,228 homes. Besides Hallock, the county seat, the biggest communities are Karlstad, Lancaster and Lake Bronson. Half the homes here were built before 1967, half after.
52/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Kittson County ranks 39 of 87 Minnesota counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Kittson County ranks highest compared with other Minnesota counties.
Kittson County gets more hard-freeze nights than most of Minnesota. From 2015–2024 it averaged 114 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 175 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 10th of 87 counties.
Cold snaps are the real risk. The worst in the record lasted 63 days below freezing (ending March 2019), and the low bottomed out near -39°F on January 31, 2019.
Most freezing nights fall from November to April, peaking in December. 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 10 and end around May 11.
Kittson gets fewer downpours than most Minnesota counties, but they still fill basements. Of roughly 20.7 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 2.9 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 81st of 87. June, July and September see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 3.6 inches, September 21, 2019. The worst three-day stretch dropped 4.9 inches, ending June 9, 2020, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 74 times a year here. They're the main driver of ice dams and of water working its way through foundation cracks in late winter.
Housing
72% of homes in Kittson County predate 1980, above the Minnesota county median of 58.4%, which ranks 19th of Minnesota's 87 counties.
Before 1960 is when 42% of these homes went up. Galvanized supply lines and cast iron drains were standard then, and after 60-plus years both corrode and crack, often out of sight inside a wall or under a slab.
The Census counted 20% of homes as vacant, above the Minnesota county median of 11%. Empty houses are where a small leak turns into a large claim, because nobody is there to hear it.
Beyond water
About 5 nights a year in Kittson County stay at 65°F or warmer, a sign of muggy summer air (66th of 87 counties). July is the wettest month. 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 expectBy main heating fuel, Kittson County homes break down as 17% utility gas, 28% electric, 36% propane and 4% wood. Wood and propane heat are more common here than the state median. Have chimneys swept and fuel-burning appliances serviced each fall, and keep three feet clear around stoves and space heaters.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Kittson County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Every neighboring county gets more pipe-freeze nights than Kittson. Its housing is the oldest in the area by share of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Kittson | Minnesota median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 42% | 34% | 28 of 87 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 72% | 58% | 19 of 87 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 13% | 21% | 66 of 87 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 5.5% | 3.8% | 24 of 87 |
| Vacant homes | 20% | 11% | 21 of 87 |
| Wood or propane heat | 39% | 30% | 22 of 87 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 114/yr | 89/yr | 10 of 87 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 2.9/yr | 5.3/yr | 81 of 87 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 74/yr | 86/yr | 87 of 87 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 5/yr | 13/yr | 66 of 87 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Minnesota county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Kittson County: freezing from November to April, 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