Wabash County, Indiana
A shallow water table limits basements on 82% of Wabash County's mapped land, a higher share than 90% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 13%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 5 flood losses here since 2016. 73% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1959.
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 Wabash County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 12.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 82.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.2% |
| Mapped soil | 269,504 acres |
How we count · survey areas IN169 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 82% of Wabash 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: 43.36 in, 3.17 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 40.19 in.
USDA rates 94% 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 20 weeks, most recently on the March 10, 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
5 flood losses since 2016, $102,156 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 40.19 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.36 in (+3.17) |
| 2025 | 32.93 in (-7.26) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2003: 52.52 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1895: 25.52 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HUNTINGTON (16 mi away) | 9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 14,097 |
| Median year built | 1959 |
| Built before 1980 | 73% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $157,200 |
| Single-family detached | 83% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami County, IN | 14 mi | 21% | 80% |
| Huntington County, IN | 17 mi | 30% | 93% |
| Grant County, IN | 24 mi | 43% | 93% |
| Whitley County, IN | 25 mi | 29% | 91% |
| Kosciusko County, IN | 28 mi | 5% | 52% |
| Fulton County, IN | 28 mi | under 1% | 64% |
| Cass County, IN | 30 mi | 6% | 65% |
| Howard County, IN | 30 mi | 22% | 93% |
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