Clark County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 44% of Clark County's mapped land, a higher share than 61% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 13%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 208 flood losses here since 2016, 9% of them in buildings with basements. 48% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1982.
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 Clark County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 13.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 43.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 75.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 21.8% |
| Urban land, not rated | 4.0% |
| Mapped soil | 240,736 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Crider | 6% | 0% |
| Ryker | 6% | n/a |
| Avonburg | 5% | n/a |
| Nabb | 5% | n/a |
| Cincinnati | 5% | n/a |
| Haggatt | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IN019 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 44% of Clark 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: 49.12 in, 0.50 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.62 in.
USDA rates 75% 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 1 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 19.2% of its area, on the March 3, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 99% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
208 flood losses since 2016, $8.9 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 104. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 9% basements, 33% slabs, 16% crawl spaces, 43% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 52 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 104 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 86 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.62 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 49.12 in (-0.50) |
| 2025 | 50.10 in (+0.48) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 67.84 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 28.48 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LOUISVILLE MCALPINE (14 mi away) | 13.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 55,049 |
| Median year built | 1982 |
| Built before 1980 | 48% |
| Built 2000 or later | 31% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $222,900 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott County, IN | 14 mi | 2% | 76% |
| Oldham County, KY | 15 mi | 7% | 17% |
| Floyd County, IN | 15 mi | 27% | 20% |
| Jefferson County, KY | 20 mi | 2% | 22% |
| Trimble County, KY | 22 mi | 6% | 11% |
| Washington County, IN | 23 mi | 16% | 31% |
| Jefferson County, IN | 26 mi | 13% | 56% |
| Harrison County, IN | 29 mi | 53% | 17% |
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