Jefferson County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 56% of Jefferson County's mapped land, a higher share than 72% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 13%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 94 flood losses here since 2016, 11% of them in buildings with basements. 65% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1973.
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 Jefferson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 13.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 56.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 18.0% |
| Mapped soil | 232,160 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Cobbsfork | 17% | n/a |
| Eden | 13% | 0% |
| Avonburg | 11% | n/a |
| Cincinnati | 10% | n/a |
| Nabb | 5% | n/a |
| Ryker | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IN077 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 56% of Jefferson 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: 48.94 in, 0.08 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 48.86 in.
USDA rates 91% 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 4.1% of its area, on the March 3, 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
94 flood losses since 2016, $3.2 million paid. The worst year was 2025, with 42. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 11% basements, 41% slabs, 18% crawl spaces, 30% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 50 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 35 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 15 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 42 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.86 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 48.94 in (+0.08) |
| 2025 | 47.86 in (-1.00) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 64.51 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 27.02 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MADISON SEWAGE PLT (4 mi away) | 14.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 14,517 |
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Built before 1980 | 65% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $194,600 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trimble County, KY | 12 mi | 6% | 11% |
| Jennings County, IN | 18 mi | 5% | 76% |
| Scott County, IN | 18 mi | 2% | 76% |
| Carroll County, KY | 19 mi | 17% | 9% |
| Switzerland County, IN | 22 mi | 41% | 40% |
| Ripley County, IN | 24 mi | 5% | 77% |
| Clark County, IN | 26 mi | 13% | 44% |
| Oldham County, KY | 26 mi | 7% | 17% |
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