Mount Clemens basement risk at a glance
| Basement Risk Index | 68 / 100 (HIGH) |
| Metro rank | #25 of 116 |
| Homes built before 1960 | 62% |
| Peak building era | Before 1940 (32% of homes) |
| Median year built | 1955 |
| Median home value | $179,400 |
| Median household income | $52,310 |
| Owner-occupied | 59% |
| Neighborhoods analyzed | 5 |
Mount Clemens's score is modeled from U.S. Census housing data; no municipal flood records are integrated yet. The Basement Risk Index is built from U.S. Census housing data and documented flood records. See our full methodology.
When Mount Clemens was built
Mount Clemens's housing is concentrated in a single era, peaking in the pre-1940 decades at about 32% of today's homes; most of the stock, 62%, predates 1960. These are lower-value homes for the metro, and basements built before the 1960s typically lack the sump pumps, perimeter drain tile, and backwater valves that became standard later, leaving many on their original clay drain tiles.
How basement risk varies inside Mount Clemens
We score 5 individual neighborhoods inside Mount Clemens, and the pattern is skewed to the higher bands: 2 fall in the high or very high band, 3 are elevated, and 0 are moderate or lower. The number that matters is the one for your own block, not the city average.
What this means for Mount Clemens homeowners
Mount Clemens carries high structural exposure. Many homes here are strong candidates for a sump pump check, a backwater valve, and improved drainage before the next big storm. Among its immediate neighbors, Mount Clemens scores higher than Clinton Township, so the block next door is a better guide than any metro-wide average.
Why Mount Clemens homes face basement risk
Basement risk in Mount Clemens comes down to two things: how old its houses are and the clay beneath them. With most of its homes, 62%, built before 1960 and the biggest share going up in the pre-1940 decades, many sit on original clay drain tile, and southeast Michigan's dense clay holds water against those foundations rather than letting it drain. Part of Mount Clemens sits on combined sewers or drains to a combined-overflow district, so on those blocks sewer backup, not just wall seepage, is the failure mode to plan for first. Communities in Mount Clemens's risk band were among those hit hardest when the June 2021 storms put tens of thousands of metro Detroit basements underwater and triggered a federal disaster declaration. If a backup has already put water on a floor here, Michigan law leaves a narrow window to file a written claim: how to file a sewer-backup claim in metro Detroit →.
FEMA disaster assistance after June 2021
37 Mount Clemens households registered for FEMA disaster assistance after the June 2021 floods (DR-4607-MI), and FEMA approved 9 of those claims for a combined $27,355, according to FEMA's OpenFEMA Housing Assistance data (pulled July 2026). That count is a floor, not a ceiling: it only includes households who applied to FEMA, not every home that took on water. Mount Clemens shares a USPS city name with a neighboring community in FEMA's data, so this figure is the combined total for that shared ZIP area, not Mount Clemens alone.
How Mount Clemens compares
Mount Clemens's Index of 68 ranks #25 of 116 communities region-wide and sits above the metro Detroit median of 37. It runs higher than its nearby neighbor Harrison Township.
Does insurance cover it?
Often not. Standard Michigan homeowners policies commonly exclude sewer backup and groundwater unless you carry a specific endorsement. Before the next storm, it is worth reading our guide on whether insurance covers sewer backup in Michigan and checking your declarations page.
What to do about it
- Take preventative steps before the next heavy rain. Homes in this band have the highest documented exposure in the metro.
- Test your sump pump and add a battery backup, power fails in the same storms that flood. See what actually keeps a basement dry.
- Check for a backwater valve if your home predates the 1970s; sewer backup is the costliest version of basement flooding.
- Extend downspouts at least six feet from the foundation and keep gutters clear.
- Know what help is out there. Metro Detroit runs active flood-assistance and sewer-repair programs; see which are open right now.
Hiring in Mount Clemens?
We keep public-record profiles of metro Detroit basement waterproofing contractors, drawn from their own listings and Michigan licensing records. No ratings and no pay-to-play, just the record. Browse the contractor records →
Public records of contractors whose own listings say they serve or are based in Mount Clemens: Michigan Basements · Tom's Basement Waterproofing.
See Mount Clemens on the full metro Detroit Basement Risk Index map →