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Indian River County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 90% of Indian River County's mapped land, a higher share than 96% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 353 flood losses here since 2016, 3% of them in buildings with basements. 26% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1991.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, October 13, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Indian River County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 89.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.3% |
| Mapped soil | 343,525 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Riviera | 10% | n/a |
| Terra Ceia | 9% | n/a |
| Wabasso | 7% | n/a |
| Myakka | 7% | 100% |
| EauGallie | 7% | n/a |
| Pineda | 7% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL061 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 90% of Indian River County's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 54.21 in, 1.83 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 52.38 in.
USDA rates 92% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 39 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 23 weeks, most recently on the June 2, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
353 flood losses since 2016, $11.3 million paid. The worst year was 2017, with 128. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 3% basements, 84% slabs, 3% crawl spaces, 9% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 9 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 106 |
| 2017 | 128 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 15 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 71 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.38 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 54.21 in (+1.83) |
| 2025 | 42.21 in (-10.17) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1947: 75.67 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1967: 34.85 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at VERO BEACH 4SE (10 mi away) | 15.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 86,440 |
| Median year built | 1991 |
| Built before 1980 | 26% |
| Built 2000 or later | 37% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $351,500 |
| Single-family detached | 66% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Lucie County, FL | 22 mi | 0% | 89% |
| Okeechobee County, FL | 29 mi | 0% | 85% |
| Martin County, FL | 43 mi | under 1% | 75% |
| Brevard County, FL | 43 mi | 3% | 78% |
| Osceola County, FL | 44 mi | 1% | 88% |
| Highlands County, FL | 54 mi | 0% | 80% |
| Glades County, FL | 64 mi | 0% | 75% |
| Polk County, FL | 72 mi | 6% | 68% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 28, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status