Vermilion County, Illinois
A shallow water table limits basements on 90% of Vermilion County's mapped land, a higher share than 96% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 34%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 21 flood losses here since 2016. 79% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1957.
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 Vermilion County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 33.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 90.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 32.9% |
| Mapped soil | 577,030 acres |
How we count · survey areas IL183 (2025-08-31)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.2% by land area here, and 33% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 34% of the mapped land.
On 90% of Vermilion 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: 45.08 in, 4.79 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 40.29 in.
USDA rates 98% 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 24 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 15 weeks, most recently on the March 17, 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
21 flood losses since 2016, $567,769 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 13.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 13 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 5 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 40.29 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 45.08 in (+4.79) |
| 2025 | 26.98 in (-13.31) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1990: 52.27 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1914: 25.73 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at DANVILLE (5 mi away) | 10.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 34,327 |
| Median year built | 1957 |
| Built before 1980 | 79% |
| Built 2000 or later | 7% |
| Owner-occupied | 70% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $97,200 |
| Single-family detached | 80% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren County, IN | 22 mi | 5% | 82% |
| Champaign County, IL | 25 mi | 26% | 94% |
| Fountain County, IN | 26 mi | 8% | 64% |
| Vermillion County, IN | 27 mi | 6% | 50% |
| Edgar County, IL | 35 mi | 16% | 83% |
| Benton County, IN | 36 mi | 2% | 95% |
| Ford County, IL | 39 mi | 55% | 98% |
| Douglas County, IL | 39 mi | 72% | 96% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 31, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status