Randolph County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 94% of Randolph County's mapped land, a higher share than 98% of US counties and the 7th highest of 92 Indiana counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 25%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 10 flood losses here since 2016. 76% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1958.
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 Randolph County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 25.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 94.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.9% |
| Mapped soil | 290,253 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN135 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.8% by land area here, and 6% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 25% of the mapped land.
On 94% of Randolph 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: 45.56 in, 3.91 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 41.65 in.
USDA rates 97% 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 24 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently 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
10 flood losses since 2016, $107,032 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 41.65 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 45.56 in (+3.91) |
| 2025 | 37.35 in (-4.30) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1950: 58.73 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 24.31 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RIDGEVILLE 3 SSE (6 mi away) | 8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 11,412 |
| Median year built | 1958 |
| Built before 1980 | 76% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $113,400 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jay County, IN | 19 mi | 60% | 96% |
| Darke County, OH | 20 mi | 26% | 96% |
| Wayne County, IN | 21 mi | 10% | 72% |
| Delaware County, IN | 21 mi | 39% | 86% |
| Henry County, IN | 27 mi | 11% | 87% |
| Blackford County, IN | 27 mi | 63% | 96% |
| Mercer County, OH | 32 mi | 37% | 95% |
| Preble County, OH | 35 mi | 17% | 86% |
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