Porter County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 70% of Porter County's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 7%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 20 flood losses here since 2016. 48% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1982.
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 Porter County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 7.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 70.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 83.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.9% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.8% |
| Mapped soil | 268,390 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN127 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 70% of Porter 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: 40.47 in, 1.28 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 39.19 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
20 flood losses since 2016, $267,079 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 9.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 9 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 39.19 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 40.47 in (+1.28) |
| 2025 | 32.04 in (-7.15) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1990: 55.27 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1899: 23.93 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at INDIANA DUNES NL (9 mi away) | 8.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 72,662 |
| Median year built | 1982 |
| Built before 1980 | 48% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $281,500 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County, IN | 16 mi | 16% | 77% |
| LaPorte County, IN | 17 mi | under 1% | 52% |
| Berrien County, MI | 26 mi | 0% | 51% |
| Starke County, IN | 27 mi | 0% | 84% |
| Jasper County, IN | 34 mi | 5% | 86% |
| Pulaski County, IN | 38 mi | 2% | 90% |
| Cook County, IL | 40 mi | 25% | 59% |
| St. Joseph County, IN | 41 mi | 1% | 52% |
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