Clermont County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 67% of Clermont County's mapped land, a higher share than 79% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 8%.
None of the county is in drought on the November 3, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 65 flood losses here since 2016, 43% of them in buildings with basements. 41% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1987.
Data as of November 3, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, November 3, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Clermont County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 66.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 13.8% |
| Urban land, not rated | 4.3% |
| Mapped soil | 294,407 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Clermont | 15% | n/a |
| Rossmoyne | 12% | 96% |
| Westboro | 10% | n/a |
| Jonesboro | 10% | n/a |
| Cincinnati | 10% | n/a |
| Edenton | 9% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas OH025 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 67% of Clermont 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: 53.20 in, 7.85 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 45.35 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 November 3, 2026 map. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| Category, November 3, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 55% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
65 flood losses since 2016, $1.7 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 29. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 43% basements, 23% slabs, 9% crawl spaces, 26% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 16 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 29 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 20 |
| 2026 to date | 2 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.35 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 53.20 in (+7.85) |
| 2025 | 53.98 in (+8.63) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1996: 59.49 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 23.96 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CINCINNATI LUNKEN AP (15 mi away) | 9.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 88,470 |
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Built before 1980 | 41% |
| Built 2000 or later | 26% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $266,200 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Clermont County
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell County, KY | 14 mi | 14% | 16% |
| Brown County, OH | 17 mi | 11% | 68% |
| Kenton County, KY | 22 mi | 14% | 26% |
| Hamilton County, OH | 23 mi | 7% | 9% |
| Bracken County, KY | 26 mi | 8% | 4% |
| Warren County, OH | 26 mi | 10% | 51% |
| Pendleton County, KY | 27 mi | 14% | 8% |
| Highland County, OH | 31 mi | 3% | 66% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 27, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (November 3, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status