Tippecanoe County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 64% of Tippecanoe County's mapped land, a higher share than 77% 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 10 flood losses here since 2016. 43% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1987.
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 Tippecanoe County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 64.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.7% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.6% |
| Mapped soil | 321,977 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN157 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 64% of Tippecanoe 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: 40.93 in, 0.16 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 40.77 in.
USDA rates 88% 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 16 weeks, most recently on the March 24, 2026 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, $134,543 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 40.77 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 40.93 in (+0.16) |
| 2025 | 32.62 in (-8.15) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1909: 52.72 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 26.68 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LAFAYETTE PURDUE UNIV AP (3 mi away) | 8.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 80,647 |
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Built before 1980 | 43% |
| Built 2000 or later | 34% |
| Owner-occupied | 53% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $239,300 |
| Single-family detached | 59% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll County, IN | 22 mi | 5% | 71% |
| Clinton County, IN | 23 mi | 10% | 94% |
| Montgomery County, IN | 24 mi | 20% | 77% |
| White County, IN | 25 mi | under 1% | 81% |
| Warren County, IN | 25 mi | 5% | 82% |
| Fountain County, IN | 26 mi | 8% | 64% |
| Benton County, IN | 27 mi | 2% | 95% |
| Boone County, IN | 32 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