Ohio County, Kentucky
A shallow water table limits basements on 42% of Ohio County's mapped land, a higher share than 60% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
70.8% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 4 flood losses here since 2016. 45% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1984.
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 Ohio County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 42.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 82.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.2% |
| Mapped soil | 381,574 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Wellston | 17% | under 1% |
| Zanesville | 13% | 97% |
| Frondorf | 12% | n/a |
| Stendal | 8% | n/a |
| Fairpoint | 5% | n/a |
| Rosine | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas KY183 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 42% of Ohio 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: 48.65 in, 1.79 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.44 in.
USDA rates 83% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
70.8% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 16 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 8 weeks, most recently on the June 2, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 70.8% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
4 flood losses since 2016, $131,254 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.44 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 48.65 in (-1.79) |
| 2025 | 62.84 in (+12.40) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1979: 71.75 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 28.90 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ROCHESTER FERRY (18 mi away) | 15.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 10,241 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 45% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $121,400 |
| Single-family detached | 66% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County, KY | 21 mi | 10% | 33% |
| Daviess County, KY | 22 mi | 7% | 64% |
| McLean County, KY | 24 mi | 16% | 81% |
| Muhlenberg County, KY | 24 mi | 2% | 46% |
| Hancock County, KY | 25 mi | 1% | 36% |
| Grayson County, KY | 27 mi | 1% | 37% |
| Breckinridge County, KY | 31 mi | under 1% | 28% |
| Spencer County, IN | 38 mi | 3% | 66% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status