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Baltimore, Ohio
Inside Baltimore's city limits, a shallow water table limits basements on 84% of mapped land, the 5th-highest of 14 cities in Fairfield County. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 18%, the 2nd-highest of 14 cities in Fairfield County.
That water-table share is above Fairfield County's 60%. FEMA's flood data list 4 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 43105 overlapping the city. Of its 1,360 homes, 73% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1964.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Fairfield County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 1 overlapping ZIP
of homes built before 1980
Basement waterproofing in Baltimore
Basement waterproofing in Baltimore: a shallow water table limits basements on 84% of Baltimore's mapped land, more than in 71% of Ohio cities, and the ZIP code overlapping Baltimore logged 4 FEMA flood losses since 2016.
In Fairfield County, 37% of the 41 flood-loss buildings with a recorded foundation type had basements.
About 800 of Baltimore's 1,360 homes are detached houses.
Soil under Baltimore city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 18.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 84.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 29.1% |
| Urban land, not rated | 2.1% |
| Mapped soil | 1,660 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Cardington | 21% | 99% |
| Canal | 13% | n/a |
| McGary | 10% | n/a |
| Bennington | 9% | 99% |
| Centerburg | 7% | over 99% |
| Minster | 6% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.8% by land area here, and 29% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 18% of the mapped land.
On 84% of Baltimore's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 88% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Fairfield County
0% of Fairfield County is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. County detail.
Flood losses by ZIP code
FEMA flood records since 2016 in the ZIP codes that overlap Baltimore. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43105 | 100% | 4 | $59,288 |
Homes in Baltimore
| Housing units | 1,360 |
| Median year built | 1964 |
| Built before 1980 | 73% |
| Built 2000 or later | 9% |
| Owner-occupied | 54% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $231,300 |
| Single-family detached | 60% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thurston | 3 mi | 15% | 87% |
| Millersport | 5 mi | 0% | 75% |
| Pleasantville | 5 mi | 0% | 96% |
| Carroll | 6 mi | 2% | 48% |
| Kirkersville | 7 mi | 0% | 87% |
| Lancaster | 8 mi | 2% | 36% |
| Buckeye Lake | 9 mi | 2% | 85% |
| Pickerington | 9 mi | 2% | 74% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status