Shelby County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 81% of Shelby County's mapped land, a higher share than 89% 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 31 flood losses here since 2016, 13% of them in buildings with basements. 62% 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 Shelby County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 80.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 264,012 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN145 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 81% of Shelby 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: 50.30 in, 5.62 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 44.68 in.
USDA rates 98% 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
31 flood losses since 2016, $572,039 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 15. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 13% basements, 9% slabs, 74% crawl spaces, 4% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 14.5 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 44.68 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 50.30 in (+5.62) |
| 2025 | 43.71 in (-0.97) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 57.45 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 25.38 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SHELBYVILLE SEWAGE PLT (0 mi away) | 10.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 19,674 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $212,400 |
| Single-family detached | 78% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County, IN | 16 mi | 1% | 76% |
| Rush County, IN | 19 mi | 17% | 87% |
| Hancock County, IN | 21 mi | 4% | 96% |
| Decatur County, IN | 22 mi | 4% | 86% |
| Bartholomew County, IN | 23 mi | 4% | 67% |
| Marion County, IN | 26 mi | 4% | 52% |
| Brown County, IN | 33 mi | 1% | 21% |
| Fayette County, IN | 33 mi | 2% | 41% |
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