Tipton County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 98% of Tipton County's mapped land, a higher share than 99% of US counties and the highest of 92 Indiana counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 42%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 19 flood losses here since 2016. 68% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1965.
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 Tipton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 41.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 97.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 166,682 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN159 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.8% by land area here, and 0% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 42% of the mapped land.
On 98% of Tipton 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: 44.05 in, 2.00 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 42.05 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. Part of the county was in drought in 24 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 24 weeks, most recently on the March 31, 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
19 flood losses since 2016, $167,291 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 18.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 18 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 42.05 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 44.05 in (+2.00) |
| 2025 | 34.65 in (-7.40) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 53.54 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1895: 26.06 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at TIPTON 5 SW (7 mi away) | 9.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 6,845 |
| Median year built | 1965 |
| Built before 1980 | 68% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $174,600 |
| Single-family detached | 86% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County, IN | 12 mi | 22% | 93% |
| Hamilton County, IN | 18 mi | 5% | 81% |
| Madison County, IN | 20 mi | 11% | 90% |
| Clinton County, IN | 22 mi | 10% | 94% |
| Grant County, IN | 25 mi | 43% | 93% |
| Boone County, IN | 28 mi | 26% | 93% |
| Miami County, IN | 32 mi | 21% | 80% |
| Carroll County, IN | 33 mi | 5% | 71% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status