Hamilton County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 81% of Hamilton County's mapped land, a higher share than 90% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 103 flood losses here since 2016, 16% of them in buildings with basements. 18% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 2001.
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 Hamilton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 5.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 81.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 87.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Urban land, not rated | 9.4% |
| Mapped soil | 257,638 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN057 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 81% of Hamilton 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: 43.90 in, 1.49 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 42.41 in.
USDA rates 87% 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 24 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 12 weeks, most recently on the March 3, 2026 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
103 flood losses since 2016, $2.2 million paid. The worst year was 2026, with 79. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 16% basements, 26% slabs, 48% crawl spaces, 10% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 25 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 to date | 79 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 42.41 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.90 in (+1.49) |
| 2025 | 34.71 in (-7.70) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 53.52 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1895: 26.56 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at TIPTON 5 SW (13 mi away) | 9.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 144,746 |
| Median year built | 2001 |
| Built before 1980 | 18% |
| Built 2000 or later | 52% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $405,500 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County, IN | 18 mi | 11% | 90% |
| Tipton County, IN | 18 mi | 42% | 98% |
| Marion County, IN | 20 mi | 4% | 52% |
| Hancock County, IN | 21 mi | 4% | 96% |
| Boone County, IN | 24 mi | 26% | 93% |
| Clinton County, IN | 30 mi | 10% | 94% |
| Howard County, IN | 30 mi | 22% | 93% |
| Hendricks County, IN | 32 mi | 14% | 84% |
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