Columbiana County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 53% of Columbiana County's mapped land, a higher share than 69% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
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. 71% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1964.
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 Columbiana County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 52.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 92.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.8% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.5% |
| Mapped soil | 343,027 acres |
How we count · survey areas OH029 (2025-08-26)
What the numbers mean here
On 53% of Columbiana 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: 42.34 in, 1.21 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 41.13 in.
USDA rates 93% 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 2 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 6.2% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the October 14, 2025 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, $42,445 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 4.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 4 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 41.13 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.34 in (+1.21) |
| 2025 | 35.61 in (-5.52) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 56.01 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 27.21 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MONTGOMERY L&D (22 mi away) | 7.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 46,121 |
| Median year built | 1964 |
| Built before 1980 | 71% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $151,600 |
| Single-family detached | 73% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Columbiana County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbiana | 2% | 66% | 3,606 |
| East Liverpool | under 1% | 12% | 4,810 |
| East Palestine | 1% | 54% | 2,390 |
| Hanoverton | under 1% | 69% | 170 |
| Leetonia | 0% | 62% | 921 |
| Lisbon | under 1% | 45% | 1,442 |
| New Waterford | 1% | 57% | 425 |
| Rogers | 0% | 46% | 91 |
| Salem | 1% | 53% | 5,756 |
| Salineville | 1% | 23% | 470 |
| Summitville | 3% | 28% | 59 |
| Washingtonville | 0% | 61% | 326 |
| Wellsville | 0% | 13% | 1,732 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahoning County, OH | 17 mi | 9% | 77% |
| Hancock County, WV | 21 mi | 1% | 11% |
| Carroll County, OH | 21 mi | 2% | 28% |
| Beaver County, PA | 23 mi | 6% | 35% |
| Jefferson County, OH | 26 mi | 21% | 11% |
| Lawrence County, PA | 28 mi | 1% | 67% |
| Stark County, OH | 31 mi | 4% | 60% |
| Portage County, OH | 35 mi | 3% | 78% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 26, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status