Floyd County, Indiana
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 27% of Floyd County's mapped land, a higher share than 78% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 20%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 43 flood losses here since 2016, 26% of them in buildings with basements. 50% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1980.
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 Floyd County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 26.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 19.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 78.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 34.5% |
| Urban land, not rated | 7.4% |
| Mapped soil | 95,764 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Knobcreek | 10% | n/a |
| Navilleton | 8% | n/a |
| Gilwood | 8% | n/a |
| Crider | 6% | 3% |
| Gnawbone | 5% | n/a |
| Beanblossom | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IN043 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.6% by land area here, and 34% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 27% of the mapped land.
On 20% of Floyd 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: 48.91 in, 0.58 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.49 in.
USDA rates 79% 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 0.1% of its area, on the March 3, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
43 flood losses since 2016, $1.7 million paid. The worst year was 2025, with 16. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 26% basements, 58% slabs, 3% crawl spaces, 13% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 54 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 16 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 16 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.49 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 48.91 in (-0.58) |
| 2025 | 52.12 in (+2.63) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 67.12 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 28.62 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LOUISVILLE MCALPINE (7 mi away) | 13.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 34,833 |
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Built before 1980 | 50% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $251,000 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County, IN | 14 mi | 53% | 17% |
| Clark County, IN | 15 mi | 13% | 44% |
| Jefferson County, KY | 16 mi | 2% | 22% |
| Washington County, IN | 22 mi | 16% | 31% |
| Oldham County, KY | 25 mi | 7% | 17% |
| Scott County, IN | 26 mi | 2% | 76% |
| Bullitt County, KY | 27 mi | 13% | 21% |
| Crawford County, IN | 29 mi | 9% | 26% |
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