Jackson County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 60% of Jackson County's mapped land, a higher share than 74% 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 9 flood losses here since 2016. 52% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Jackson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 59.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 95.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.4% |
| Mapped soil | 328,819 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Brownstown | 6% | n/a |
| Dubois | 6% | n/a |
| Haubstadt | 5% | n/a |
| Peoga | 5% | n/a |
| Stendal | 4% | n/a |
| Gnawbone | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IN071 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 60% of Jackson 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: 50.75 in, 2.87 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 47.88 in.
USDA rates 95% 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 1 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 1.1% of its area, on the March 3, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 1.5% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
9 flood losses since 2016, $119,062 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 4.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 47.88 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 50.75 in (+2.87) |
| 2025 | 46.93 in (-0.95) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 60.36 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1901: 29.39 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at COLUMBUS (19 mi away) | 12.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 19,351 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 52% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $178,300 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bartholomew County, IN | 22 mi | 4% | 67% |
| Washington County, IN | 22 mi | 16% | 31% |
| Brown County, IN | 22 mi | 1% | 21% |
| Scott County, IN | 22 mi | 2% | 76% |
| Jennings County, IN | 23 mi | 5% | 76% |
| Lawrence County, IN | 24 mi | 26% | 20% |
| Monroe County, IN | 31 mi | 9% | 20% |
| Jefferson County, IN | 34 mi | 13% | 56% |
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