Pike County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 53% of Pike County's mapped land, a higher share than 69% 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 no flood losses here since 2016. 62% 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 Pike County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 53.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.8% |
| Mapped soil | 218,407 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Fairpoint | 16% | n/a |
| Hosmer | 10% | over 99% |
| Belknap | 8% | n/a |
| Zanesville | 7% | 97% |
| Gilpin | 6% | under 1% |
| Bethesda | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IN125 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 53% of Pike 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: 43.94 in, 4.28 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.22 in.
USDA rates 89% 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 3 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the April 21, 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
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Pike County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.22 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.94 in (-4.28) |
| 2025 | 48.82 in (+0.60) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1950: 65.96 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1953: 31.18 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WASHINGTON 1 W (17 mi away) | 14.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,589 |
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 87% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $154,900 |
| Single-family detached | 85% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubois County, IN | 20 mi | under 1% | 50% |
| Gibson County, IN | 20 mi | 4% | 62% |
| Warrick County, IN | 21 mi | 6% | 60% |
| Daviess County, IN | 22 mi | 5% | 64% |
| Knox County, IN | 22 mi | 8% | 46% |
| Spencer County, IN | 29 mi | 3% | 66% |
| Martin County, IN | 32 mi | 3% | 30% |
| Vanderburgh County, IN | 32 mi | 5% | 71% |
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