Gibson County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 62% of Gibson County's mapped land, a higher share than 76% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 4%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 4 flood losses here since 2016. 57% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1974.
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 Gibson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 3.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 62.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 79.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.2% |
| Mapped soil | 319,456 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Alford | 13% | n/a |
| Hosmer | 11% | over 99% |
| Vincennes | 7% | n/a |
| Uniontown | 6% | n/a |
| Ragsdale | 5% | n/a |
| Bloomfield | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IN051 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 62% of Gibson 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: 42.60 in, 5.53 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.13 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 4 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, on the April 21, 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
4 flood losses since 2016, $53,325 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.13 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.60 in (-5.53) |
| 2025 | 47.23 in (-0.90) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 69.16 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1953: 29.17 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PRINCETON 1 W (3 mi away) | 15.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 14,890 |
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Built before 1980 | 57% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $180,000 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wabash County, IL | 17 mi | 14% | 74% |
| Pike County, IN | 20 mi | 1% | 53% |
| Vanderburgh County, IN | 21 mi | 5% | 71% |
| Warrick County, IN | 23 mi | 6% | 60% |
| Posey County, IN | 25 mi | 4% | 54% |
| Edwards County, IL | 26 mi | 21% | 92% |
| Knox County, IN | 27 mi | 8% | 46% |
| Lawrence County, IL | 29 mi | 23% | 78% |
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