White County, Illinois
A shallow water table limits basements on 75% of White County's mapped land, a higher share than 85% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 12%.
17.4% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, up from 0% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 8 flood losses here since 2016. 72% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1962.
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 White County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 12.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 75.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 13.5% |
| Mapped soil | 321,360 acres |
How we count · survey areas IL193 (2025-08-31)
What the numbers mean here
On 75% of White 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: 34.94 in, 11.97 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.91 in.
USDA rates 90% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
17.4% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 19 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 3 weeks, most recently on the April 21, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 17.4% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
8 flood losses since 2016, $257,526 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.91 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.94 in (-11.97) |
| 2025 | 41.11 in (-5.80) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 67.43 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 27.89 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CARMI 3 (1 mi away) | 13.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 6,730 |
| Median year built | 1962 |
| Built before 1980 | 72% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $108,100 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Posey County, IN | 17 mi | 4% | 54% |
| Hamilton County, IL | 20 mi | 23% | 95% |
| Gallatin County, IL | 22 mi | 31% | 67% |
| Edwards County, IL | 24 mi | 21% | 92% |
| Wayne County, IL | 28 mi | 26% | 94% |
| Saline County, IL | 31 mi | 20% | 86% |
| Wabash County, IL | 31 mi | 14% | 74% |
| Union County, KY | 32 mi | 4% | 53% |
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