Vigo County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 58% of Vigo County's mapped land, a higher share than 73% 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 24 flood losses here since 2016. 64% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1968.
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 Vigo County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 58.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 92.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.1% |
| Mapped soil | 262,809 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Iva | 12% | n/a |
| Elston | 7% | n/a |
| Reesville | 6% | n/a |
| Hickory | 6% | n/a |
| Ragsdale | 4% | n/a |
| Genesee | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas IN167 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 58% of Vigo 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: 43.78 in, 0.19 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 43.59 in.
USDA rates 92% 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 21 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, on the October 28, 2025 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 1% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
24 flood losses since 2016, $434,192 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 7.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 to date | 2 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.59 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.78 in (+0.19) |
| 2025 | 39.12 in (-4.47) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2008: 55.36 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1914: 27.99 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at FARMERSBURG TV-2 (13 mi away) | 11.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 46,891 |
| Median year built | 1968 |
| Built before 1980 | 64% |
| Built 2000 or later | 17% |
| Owner-occupied | 62% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $148,500 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, IN | 15 mi | 2% | 69% |
| Clark County, IL | 22 mi | 29% | 77% |
| Sullivan County, IN | 24 mi | 2% | 61% |
| Edgar County, IL | 26 mi | 16% | 83% |
| Parke County, IN | 26 mi | 1% | 42% |
| Vermillion County, IN | 29 mi | 6% | 50% |
| Owen County, IN | 31 mi | 4% | 49% |
| Putnam County, IN | 33 mi | 2% | 65% |
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