Carroll County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 71% of Carroll County's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 84 flood losses here since 2016, 11% of them in buildings with basements. 69% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1966.
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 Carroll County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 71.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 92.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.4% |
| Mapped soil | 239,993 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN015 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 71% of Carroll 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: 38.68 in, 2.45 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 41.13 in.
USDA rates 92% 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 24 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
84 flood losses since 2016, $3.8 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 76. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 11% basements, 18% slabs, 16% crawl spaces, 55% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 40 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 76 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 41.13 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 38.68 in (-2.45) |
| 2025 | 30.08 in (-11.05) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1990: 51.55 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1895: 27.08 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LOGANSPORT CICOTT ST (15 mi away) | 9.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 9,559 |
| Median year built | 1966 |
| Built before 1980 | 69% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $180,900 |
| Single-family detached | 85% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County, IN | 16 mi | 6% | 65% |
| White County, IN | 19 mi | under 1% | 81% |
| Clinton County, IN | 20 mi | 10% | 94% |
| Tippecanoe County, IN | 22 mi | 1% | 64% |
| Howard County, IN | 25 mi | 22% | 93% |
| Miami County, IN | 30 mi | 21% | 80% |
| Pulaski County, IN | 32 mi | 2% | 90% |
| Tipton County, IN | 33 mi | 42% | 98% |
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