Franklin County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 53% of Franklin County's mapped land, a higher share than 68% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 15%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 21 flood losses here since 2016. 49% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1981.
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 Franklin County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 15.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 52.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 14.9% |
| Mapped soil | 250,176 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN047 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.9% by land area here, and 15% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 15% of the mapped land.
On 53% of Franklin 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: 54.90 in, 10.48 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 44.42 in.
USDA rates 98% 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
21 flood losses since 2016, $418,108 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 8.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 8 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 44.42 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 54.90 in (+10.48) |
| 2025 | 49.29 in (+4.87) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1990: 60.03 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 21.44 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BROOKVILLE (3 mi away) | 9.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 9,796 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 49% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $249,500 |
| Single-family detached | 81% |
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 | 16 mi | 1% | 53% |
| Fayette County, IN | 17 mi | 2% | 41% |
| Dearborn County, IN | 19 mi | 38% | 36% |
| Ripley County, IN | 24 mi | 5% | 77% |
| Decatur County, IN | 24 mi | 4% | 86% |
| Rush County, IN | 26 mi | 17% | 87% |
| Butler County, OH | 27 mi | 13% | 30% |
| Wayne County, IN | 32 mi | 10% | 72% |
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