Fairfield County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 60% of Fairfield County's mapped land, a higher share than 74% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 79 flood losses here since 2016, 37% of them in buildings with basements. 46% 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 Fairfield County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 60.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.4% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.2% |
| Mapped soil | 325,357 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Amanda | 15% | 40% |
| Centerburg | 11% | over 99% |
| Bennington | 10% | 99% |
| Cardington | 6% | 99% |
| Marengo | 5% | n/a |
| Pewamo | 3% | 99% |
How we count · survey areas OH045 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 60% of Fairfield 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: 45.54 in, 3.77 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 41.77 in.
USDA rates 86% 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. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| 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
79 flood losses since 2016, $1.0 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 20. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 37% basements, 29% slabs, 24% crawl spaces, 10% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 8 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 18 |
| 2018 | 20 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 11 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 to date | 12 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 41.77 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 45.54 in (+3.77) |
| 2025 | 43.58 in (+1.81) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 55.94 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 25.11 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BUCKEYE LAKE 1 N (16 mi away) | 8.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 64,036 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 46% |
| Built 2000 or later | 26% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $298,800 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Fairfield County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amanda | 6% | 40% | 253 |
| Baltimore | 18% | 84% | 1,360 |
| Bremen | 3% | 41% | 747 |
| Carroll | 2% | 48% | 278 |
| Lancaster | 2% | 36% | 18,317 |
| Lithopolis | 6% | 81% | 810 |
| Millersport | 0% | 75% | 431 |
| Pickerington | 2% | 74% | 8,882 |
| Pleasantville | 0% | 96% | 340 |
| Rushville | 1% | 14% | 137 |
| Stoutsville | 21% | over 99% | 268 |
| Sugar Grove | under 1% | 6% | 160 |
| Thurston | 15% | 87% | 234 |
| West Rushville | 0% | 97% | 74 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hocking County, OH | 19 mi | 14% | 36% |
| Perry County, OH | 21 mi | 13% | 42% |
| Pickaway County, OH | 24 mi | 19% | 72% |
| Licking County, OH | 25 mi | 1% | 69% |
| Franklin County, OH | 25 mi | 12% | 71% |
| Vinton County, OH | 35 mi | 12% | 37% |
| Ross County, OH | 37 mi | 20% | 61% |
| Muskingum County, OH | 39 mi | 17% | 39% |
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