Guernsey County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 34% of Guernsey County's mapped land, a higher share than 52% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 23%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 10 flood losses here since 2016. 63% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1972.
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 Guernsey County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 23.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 33.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 90.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 18.7% |
| Mapped soil | 338,170 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Westmoreland | 13% | 0% |
| Gilpin | 9% | under 1% |
| Guernsey | 8% | n/a |
| Berks | 7% | under 1% |
| Upshur | 6% | 0% |
| Dekalb | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas OH059 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.3% by land area here, and 19% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 23% of the mapped land.
On 34% of Guernsey 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: 43.80 in, 2.42 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 41.38 in.
USDA rates 90% 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
10 flood losses since 2016, $130,191 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 41.38 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.80 in (+2.42) |
| 2025 | 37.56 in (-3.82) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2004: 57.71 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 21.88 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CAMBRIDGE (5 mi away) | 8.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 19,037 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 63% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $157,700 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Guernsey County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Byesville | 3% | 21% | 1,092 |
| Cambridge | 5% | 29% | 5,420 |
| Cumberland | 35% | 72% | 139 |
| Fairview | 40% | 31% | 22 |
| Lore City | 16% | 64% | 137 |
| Old Washington | 62% | 38% | 127 |
| Pleasant City | 21% | 68% | 209 |
| Quaker City | 36% | 59% | 161 |
| Senecaville | 24% | 67% | 216 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noble County, OH | 20 mi | 31% | 18% |
| Muskingum County, OH | 24 mi | 17% | 39% |
| Harrison County, OH | 27 mi | 27% | 29% |
| Tuscarawas County, OH | 27 mi | 7% | 42% |
| Belmont County, OH | 28 mi | 23% | 18% |
| Coshocton County, OH | 28 mi | 3% | 46% |
| Monroe County, OH | 31 mi | 27% | 18% |
| Morgan County, OH | 36 mi | 35% | 23% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 28, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status