Elkhart County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 54% of Elkhart County's mapped land, a higher share than 70% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 123 flood losses here since 2016, 69% of them in buildings with basements. 54% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.
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 Elkhart County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 53.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 87.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.3% |
| Urban land, not rated | 3.9% |
| Mapped soil | 299,635 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Crosier | 18% | n/a |
| Bristol | 9% | n/a |
| Tyner | 8% | n/a |
| Brookston | 6% | n/a |
| Riddles | 6% | n/a |
| Coloma | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IN039 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 54% of Elkhart 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: 39.82 in, 1.41 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 38.41 in.
USDA rates 88% 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 27% of its area, on the October 14, 2025 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
123 flood losses since 2016, $2.6 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 112. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 69% basements, 18% slabs, 10% crawl spaces, 3% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 11 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 112 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 38.41 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.82 in (+1.41) |
| 2025 | 33.96 in (-4.45) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1954: 50.62 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 23.51 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GOSHEN 3SW (3 mi away) | 7.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 80,493 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 54% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $210,400 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph County, IN | 22 mi | 1% | 52% |
| LaGrange County, IN | 23 mi | 3% | 39% |
| Cass County, MI | 23 mi | 0% | 26% |
| Kosciusko County, IN | 25 mi | 5% | 52% |
| Noble County, IN | 27 mi | 9% | 72% |
| St. Joseph County, MI | 28 mi | 0% | 28% |
| Marshall County, IN | 28 mi | 1% | 58% |
| Whitley County, IN | 37 mi | 29% | 91% |
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