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Basement Risk Index™ · Community Report

Basement Flood Risk in Walled Lake, Michigan

Walled Lake’s Basement Risk Index is 26/100 (MODERATE). 22% of homes here were built before 1960 (U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, updated Jul 2026), the biggest driver of basement-flooding risk in this region.

26BRI / 100
MODERATE RISK
Ranked #73 of 116 metro Detroit communities

Data confidence: C, modeled from housing-age measures; no local flood records integrated yet. How the score is built →

Walled Lake, Michigan carries a Basement Risk Index of 26 out of 100, ranking #73 of 116 metro Detroit communities, well below the metro median of 37. Walled Lake is a comparatively young community, its housing peaking in the nineteen-seventies, after sump pumps and perimeter drains became common, which holds its Index down even on the region's clay soil. Among Walled Lake and its five nearest neighbors it carries the second-highest modeled risk; its housing is a roughly even mix of owners and renters and lower-income for the region.

Water in your basement in Walled Lake right now?

  1. Don’t enter standing water if the power is on. Cut it at the breaker only from a dry spot, or call an electrician.
  2. Photograph and video everything before you move or clean up anything, insurance and city claims both turn on this.
  3. Michigan law gives you about 45 days from discovery to file a written damage claim with your sewer authority. Start today.
  4. Once it is safe, call a licensed waterproofing contractor. Do not wait for it to dry on its own.

Walled Lake basement risk at a glance

Basement Risk Index26 / 100 (MODERATE)
Metro rank#73 of 116
Homes built before 196022%
Peak building era1970s (25% of homes)
Median year built1978
Median home value$224,200
Median household income$72,055
Owner-occupied62%
Neighborhoods analyzed1

Walled Lake'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 Walled Lake was built

Walled Lake's housing is spread across several decades, peaking in the nineteen-seventies at about 25% of today's homes; some of the stock, 22%, predates 1960. These are mid-range 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.

2020 or later
3%
2010s
0%
2000s
9%
1990s
17%
1980s
18%
1970s
25%
1960s
7%
1950s
16%
1940s
1%
Before 1940
4%

How basement risk varies inside Walled Lake

We score 1 individual neighborhoods inside Walled Lake, and the pattern is skewed to the lower bands: 0 fall in the high or very high band, 0 are elevated, and 1 are moderate or lower. The number that matters is the one for your own block, not the city average.

0Very High
0High
0Elevated
0Moderate
1Lower

What this means for Walled Lake homeowners

Walled Lake scores in the moderate band, but moderate is not zero on clay soil. Prevention is cheap relative to a flooded basement, and a free check tells you what you are working with. Among its immediate neighbors, Walled Lake scores higher than Commerce Township, so the block next door is a better guide than any metro-wide average.

Why Walled Lake homes face basement risk

Basement risk in Walled Lake comes down to two things: how old its houses are and the clay beneath them. With some of its homes, 22%, built before 1960 and the biggest share going up in the nineteen-seventies, many sit on original clay drain tile, and southeast Michigan's dense clay holds water against those foundations rather than letting it drain.

How Walled Lake compares

Walled Lake's Index of 26 ranks #73 of 116 communities region-wide and sits below the metro Detroit median of 37. It runs higher than its nearby neighbor Wixom.

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

  1. Lower risk is not zero risk on the region's clay soil, a free prevention check takes about 30 minutes.
  2. Watch for symptoms after storms; what you see at your own home matters more than any average.
  3. Maintain gutters and grading, the two cheapest protections any Michigan home has.

Hiring in Walled Lake?

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 Walled Lake: Michigan Basements.

See Walled Lake on the full metro Detroit Basement Risk Index map →

Concerned about this score?

We connect Walled Lake homeowners with one licensed, insured basement waterproofing contractor for a free, no-obligation assessment. Your information goes to one local pro, never to lead lists.

Request your free assessment →

See Walled Lake on the interactive metro map →
Read the published methodology →
Browse all 116 communities ranked →

Nearby communities

Commerce Township · 13Wixom · 12Novi · 5Novi Township · 37Orchard Lake Village · 22

Homeowner guides

Does insurance cover sewer backup?What to do when your basement floodsWhat waterproofing costs in metro DetroitHow to choose a waterproofing contractorSump pump costs in MichiganBackwater valves: cost and who needs oneThe 2021 metro Detroit floodsWhat keeps a Michigan basement dry

Frequently asked questions

Where does Walled Lake rank for basement-flood risk among nearby communities like Commerce Township and Wixom?

Walled Lake scores 26 out of 100, ranking #73 of 116 metro Detroit communities (MODERATE risk). Among its five nearest neighbors it carries the second-highest risk: Commerce Township scores 13 and Wixom scores 12.

Are Walled Lake's homes older than those in nearby Commerce Township and Wixom?

22% of Walled Lake homes were built before 1960 (median year built 1978, with the largest share in the nineteen-seventies). In Commerce Township, 14% predate 1960 (median year built 1991). Older housing means more basements plumbed before sump pumps, weeping tile, and backwater valves were standard.

What is the biggest basement-flood driver in Walled Lake versus Wixom?

Housing age and clay soil. 22% of Walled Lake homes predate 1960, and southeast Michigan's dense clay holds water against older foundations rather than draining it. Walled Lake scores 26 and Wixom 12, so the same prevention steps apply, sized to each home.