Hendricks County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 84% of Hendricks County's mapped land, a higher share than 91% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 14%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 6 flood losses here since 2016. 28% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1998.
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 Hendricks County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 14.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 83.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | under 0.1% |
| Urban land, not rated | 4.8% |
| Mapped soil | 261,664 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN063 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 84% of Hendricks 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: 40.34 in, 3.14 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 43.48 in.
USDA rates 94% 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 16 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 5 weeks, most recently on the November 18, 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
6 flood losses since 2016, $34,298 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.48 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 40.34 in (-3.14) |
| 2025 | 36.08 in (-7.40) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1957: 54.01 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1895: 28.63 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at INDIANAPOLIS (13 mi away) | 10.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 69,675 |
| Median year built | 1998 |
| Built before 1980 | 28% |
| Built 2000 or later | 46% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $307,600 |
| Single-family detached | 80% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County, IN | 19 mi | 26% | 93% |
| Putnam County, IN | 20 mi | 2% | 65% |
| Marion County, IN | 20 mi | 4% | 52% |
| Morgan County, IN | 20 mi | 5% | 59% |
| Montgomery County, IN | 27 mi | 20% | 77% |
| Johnson County, IN | 29 mi | 1% | 76% |
| Hamilton County, IN | 32 mi | 5% | 81% |
| Owen County, IN | 36 mi | 4% | 49% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 3, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status