Allen County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 88% of Allen County's mapped land, a higher share than 94% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 38%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 32 flood losses here since 2016. 55% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1976.
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 Allen County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 38.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 87.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 90.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.1% |
| Urban land, not rated | 5.7% |
| Mapped soil | 422,407 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN003 (2025-09-17)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.9% by land area here, and 8% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 38% of the mapped land.
On 88% of Allen 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: 34.81 in, 3.97 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 38.78 in.
USDA rates 90% 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 21 weeks, most recently on the March 10, 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
32 flood losses since 2016, $339,487 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 12.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 12 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 2 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 38.78 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.81 in (-3.97) |
| 2025 | 28.24 in (-10.54) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1950: 50.51 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1962: 24.83 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at FT WAYNE INTL AP (11 mi away) | 8.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 166,285 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 55% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 69% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $214,900 |
| Single-family detached | 73% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County, IN | 21 mi | 20% | 88% |
| Whitley County, IN | 23 mi | 29% | 91% |
| Adams County, IN | 25 mi | 45% | 97% |
| Paulding County, OH | 26 mi | 70% | 96% |
| Wells County, IN | 26 mi | 55% | 93% |
| Huntington County, IN | 28 mi | 30% | 93% |
| Noble County, IN | 28 mi | 9% | 72% |
| Van Wert County, OH | 30 mi | 64% | 99% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 17, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status