Swift County, Minnesota · Benson
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Pipes freeze in Swift County on about 93 nights a year, mostly November to April. Older homes, 52% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 6.1 times a year here, most often in August. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Backups often follow heavy rain, which Swift County gets about 6.1 days a year, when storm water overloads sewer mains and pushes up through the lowest drain in the house.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 90 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
32% of occupied homes in Swift County heat mainly with wood or propane, close to the Minnesota county median of 30%.
With 14 muggy nights a year, mold in Swift County can appear within days of a leak. Dry first, then clean.
Local risk profile
With 4,706 homes and around 9,748 residents, Swift County is 742 square miles of southwest Minnesota. The county seat is Benson, and Appleton, Kerkhoven and Murdock round out the largest towns. It has some of the oldest housing in the state: the median home went up in 1958.
73/100 Water Damage Risk Index: High Swift County ranks 1 of 87 Minnesota counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Swift County ranks highest compared with other Minnesota counties.
For frozen pipes, Swift County is a typical Minnesota county, which is still plenty. From 2015–2024 it averaged 93 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 162 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 36th of 87 counties.
The longest cold spell was straight 60 days without the temperature rising above freezing, ending in March 2019. The coldest night reached about -31°F on January 31, 2019. Burst pipes usually show up when a spell like that breaks and the ice thaws.
Most freezing nights fall from November to April, 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.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Oct 11 and the last spring freeze around May 3.
Heavy rain is a bigger factor here than in most of Minnesota. About 6.1 days a year bring an inch or more (22nd of 87), most often in August, out of 27.4 inches of total precipitation. On August 11, 2016, 2.99 inches fell in a single day. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 4.09 inches (through July 12, 2016).
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 90 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
Minnesota's 87 counties range widely in housing age; Swift ranks 24th, with 70% of its homes built before 1980.
Before 1960 is when 52% 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.
Renters occupy 28% of homes. If you rent, the building is usually the landlord's to repair, but your belongings are only covered by renters insurance.
Beyond water
About 14 nights a year in Swift County stay at 65°F or warmer, a sign of muggy summer air (38th of 87 counties). August is the wettest month. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30 to 50%. Basements can pass 60% on their own in summer, so a dehumidifier matters even without a leak, and anything wet should be dried within 24 to 48 hours.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in Swift County's occupied homes: 41% utility gas, 22% electric, 32% propane and under 1% wood. Propane heat is above the Minnesota 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 Swift County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Big Stone, Pope and Stevens get more pipe-freeze nights than Swift. It also has the most heavy-rain days in its area. Chippewa County has the oldest housing nearby, with 81% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Swift | Minnesota median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 52% | 34% | 7 of 87 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 70% | 58% | 24 of 87 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 12% | 21% | 70 of 87 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 1.7% | 3.8% | 75 of 87 |
| Vacant homes | 12% | 11% | 38 of 87 |
| Wood or propane heat | 32% | 30% | 38 of 87 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 93/yr | 89/yr | 36 of 87 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 6.1/yr | 5.3/yr | 22 of 87 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 90/yr | 86/yr | 13 of 87 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 14/yr | 13/yr | 38 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 Swift County: freezing from November to April, heavy rain in July, August and October.
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