Putnam County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 65% of Putnam County's mapped land, a higher share than 77% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
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. 49% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1981.
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 Putnam County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 64.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 309,100 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN133 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 65% of Putnam 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: 44.01 in, 0.82 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 44.83 in.
USDA rates 94% 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 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 99.4% of its area, on the October 28, 2025 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, $14,818 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 44.83 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 44.01 in (-0.82) |
| 2025 | 40.13 in (-4.70) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2008: 56.55 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 28.75 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ROCKVILLE (21 mi away) | 13 |
Homes
| Housing units | 15,268 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 49% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $218,900 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hendricks County, IN | 20 mi | 14% | 84% |
| Parke County, IN | 20 mi | 1% | 42% |
| Clay County, IN | 23 mi | 2% | 69% |
| Owen County, IN | 24 mi | 4% | 49% |
| Morgan County, IN | 25 mi | 5% | 59% |
| Montgomery County, IN | 26 mi | 20% | 77% |
| Vigo County, IN | 33 mi | 1% | 58% |
| Boone County, IN | 34 mi | 26% | 93% |
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