Hancock County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 96% of Hancock County's mapped land, a higher share than 99% of US counties and the 5th highest of 92 Indiana 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. 40% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1991.
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 Hancock County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 3.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 95.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.5% |
| Mapped soil | 196,570 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN059 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 96% of Hancock 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: 47.59 in, 3.13 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 44.46 in.
USDA rates 99% 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 20 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 94.2% of its area, on the October 28, 2025 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
4 flood losses since 2016, $15,314 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 44.46 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 47.59 in (+3.13) |
| 2025 | 38.50 in (-5.96) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 56.56 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 24.48 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GREENFIELD (3 mi away) | 11.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 34,370 |
| Median year built | 1991 |
| Built before 1980 | 40% |
| Built 2000 or later | 36% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $274,800 |
| Single-family detached | 84% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, IN | 19 mi | 4% | 52% |
| Shelby County, IN | 21 mi | 2% | 81% |
| Hamilton County, IN | 21 mi | 5% | 81% |
| Henry County, IN | 21 mi | 11% | 87% |
| Rush County, IN | 21 mi | 17% | 87% |
| Madison County, IN | 24 mi | 11% | 90% |
| Johnson County, IN | 28 mi | 1% | 76% |
| Fayette County, IN | 34 mi | 2% | 41% |
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