Fayette County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 41% of Fayette County's mapped land, a higher share than 59% of US 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 30 flood losses here since 2016, 33% of them in buildings with basements. 75% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1962.
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 Fayette County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 40.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 83.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | under 0.1% |
| Mapped soil | 137,875 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN041 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 41% of Fayette 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: 55.97 in, 11.75 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 44.22 in.
USDA rates 84% 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
30 flood losses since 2016, $428,793 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 24. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 33% basements, 26% slabs, 37% crawl spaces, 4% elevated.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 24 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 44.22 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 55.97 in (+11.75) |
| 2025 | 49.00 in (+4.78) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 58.72 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 22.49 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RUSHVILLE (14 mi away) | 11.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 10,905 |
| Median year built | 1962 |
| Built before 1980 | 75% |
| Built 2000 or later | 8% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $130,700 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, IN | 14 mi | 1% | 53% |
| Rush County, IN | 15 mi | 17% | 87% |
| Franklin County, IN | 17 mi | 15% | 53% |
| Wayne County, IN | 18 mi | 10% | 72% |
| Henry County, IN | 23 mi | 11% | 87% |
| Decatur County, IN | 29 mi | 4% | 86% |
| Preble County, OH | 30 mi | 17% | 86% |
| Shelby County, IN | 33 mi | 2% | 81% |
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