Bartholomew County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 67% of Bartholomew County's mapped land, a higher share than 80% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 4%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 34 flood losses here since 2016, 36% of them in buildings with basements. 52% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1979.
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 Bartholomew County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 67.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 95.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.2% |
| Urban land, not rated | 2.1% |
| Mapped soil | 262,329 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN005 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 67% of Bartholomew 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: 51.12 in, 4.35 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 46.77 in.
USDA rates 95% 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. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| 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
34 flood losses since 2016, $1.4 million paid. The worst year was 2025, with 21. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 36% basements, 25% slabs, 32% crawl spaces, 7% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 9 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 21 |
| 2026 to date | 2 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.77 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 51.12 in (+4.35) |
| 2025 | 45.87 in (-0.90) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 57.98 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 27.53 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at COLUMBUS (3 mi away) | 12.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 35,668 |
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Built before 1980 | 52% |
| Built 2000 or later | 24% |
| Owner-occupied | 69% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $232,800 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County, IN | 18 mi | 1% | 21% |
| Jennings County, IN | 20 mi | 5% | 76% |
| Jackson County, IN | 22 mi | 4% | 60% |
| Decatur County, IN | 22 mi | 4% | 86% |
| Johnson County, IN | 23 mi | 1% | 76% |
| Shelby County, IN | 23 mi | 2% | 81% |
| Monroe County, IN | 34 mi | 9% | 20% |
| Ripley County, IN | 35 mi | 5% | 77% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 4, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status