Lawrence County, Indiana
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 26% of Lawrence County's mapped land, a higher share than 76% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 20%.
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. 58% 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 Lawrence County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 25.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 19.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 84.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 54.6% |
| Mapped soil | 289,395 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN093 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.2% by land area here, and 55% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 26% of the mapped land.
On 20% of Lawrence 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: 50.56 in, 1.92 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 48.64 in.
USDA rates 84% 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. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| 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, $179,287 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.64 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 50.56 in (+1.92) |
| 2025 | 54.59 in (+5.95) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 63.25 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1901: 28.68 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at OOLITIC PURDUE EX FM (5 mi away) | 12.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 20,545 |
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Built before 1980 | 58% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $175,000 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin County, IN | 19 mi | 3% | 30% |
| Orange County, IN | 20 mi | 13% | 24% |
| Monroe County, IN | 22 mi | 9% | 20% |
| Jackson County, IN | 24 mi | 4% | 60% |
| Washington County, IN | 26 mi | 16% | 31% |
| Brown County, IN | 28 mi | 1% | 21% |
| Greene County, IN | 31 mi | 9% | 52% |
| Daviess County, IN | 33 mi | 5% | 64% |
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