Parke County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 42% of Parke County's mapped land, a higher share than 59% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 3 flood losses here since 2016. 61% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1972.
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 Parke County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 41.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 87.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.2% |
| Mapped soil | 287,917 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Reesville | 16% | n/a |
| Russell | 12% | 1% |
| Hennepin | 10% | n/a |
| Hickory | 10% | n/a |
| Genesee | 9% | n/a |
| Alford | 7% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IN121 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 42% of Parke 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: 45.47 in, 2.41 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 43.06 in.
USDA rates 88% 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 22 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 7 weeks, most recently on the March 3, 2026 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
3 flood losses since 2016, $138,121 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.06 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 45.47 in (+2.41) |
| 2025 | 34.11 in (-8.95) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1993: 54.87 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1914: 27.90 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ROCKVILLE (2 mi away) | 13 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,657 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 61% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $151,200 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermillion County, IN | 15 mi | 6% | 50% |
| Putnam County, IN | 20 mi | 2% | 65% |
| Fountain County, IN | 24 mi | 8% | 64% |
| Montgomery County, IN | 24 mi | 20% | 77% |
| Vigo County, IN | 26 mi | 1% | 58% |
| Clay County, IN | 27 mi | 2% | 69% |
| Edgar County, IL | 30 mi | 16% | 83% |
| Hendricks County, IN | 36 mi | 14% | 84% |
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