Benton County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 95% of Benton County's mapped land, a higher share than 98% of US counties and the 6th highest of 92 Indiana counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 80% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1954.
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 Benton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 94.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.0% |
| Mapped soil | 260,237 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Chalmers | 17% | n/a |
| Selma | 13% | n/a |
| Odell | 10% | n/a |
| Corwin | 7% | n/a |
| Gilboa | 7% | n/a |
| Drummer | 6% | over 99% |
How we count · survey areas IN007 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 95% of Benton 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: 37.89 in, 1.79 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 39.68 in.
USDA rates 97% 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 20 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 17 weeks, most recently on the March 31, 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
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Benton County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 39.68 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.89 in (-1.79) |
| 2025 | 28.93 in (-10.75) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 52.57 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1914: 25.41 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at REMINGTON 2NNW (15 mi away) | 9.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,762 |
| Median year built | 1954 |
| Built before 1980 | 80% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $151,000 |
| Single-family detached | 86% |
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 | 17 mi | 5% | 82% |
| Newton County, IN | 25 mi | 4% | 88% |
| White County, IN | 26 mi | under 1% | 81% |
| Tippecanoe County, IN | 27 mi | 1% | 64% |
| Iroquois County, IL | 29 mi | 44% | 93% |
| Jasper County, IN | 31 mi | 5% | 86% |
| Fountain County, IN | 33 mi | 8% | 64% |
| Vermilion County, IL | 36 mi | 34% | 90% |
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