Henry County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 96% of Henry County's mapped land, a higher share than 99% of US counties and the 5th highest of 88 Ohio counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 62%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses here since 2016. 70% 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 Henry County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 62.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 95.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 15.6% |
| Mapped soil | 268,774 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Hoytville | 49% | 99% |
| Nappanee | 10% | n/a |
| Mermill | 6% | n/a |
| Millgrove | 5% | n/a |
| Haskins | 4% | n/a |
| Toledo | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas OH069 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.0% by land area here, and 16% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 62% of the mapped land.
On 96% of Henry 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: 30.62 in, 5.63 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 36.25 in.
USDA rates 97% 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 28 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 23 weeks, most recently on the March 24, 2026 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
1 flood losses since 2016, $0 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 36.25 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 30.62 in (-5.63) |
| 2025 | 30.69 in (-5.56) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 51.25 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 23.08 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WAUSEON WTP (13 mi away) | 7.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 12,096 |
| Median year built | 1964 |
| Built before 1980 | 70% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 83% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $168,600 |
| Single-family detached | 83% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Henry County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deshler | 96% | 98% | 728 |
| Florida | 23% | 93% | 127 |
| Hamler | 88% | 99% | 283 |
| Holgate | 91% | 97% | 526 |
| Liberty Center | 7% | 90% | 453 |
| Malinta | 64% | 98% | 118 |
| McClure | 30% | 93% | 344 |
| Napoleon | 47% | 82% | 3,954 |
| New Bavaria | 83% | 95% | 49 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulton County, OH | 19 mi | 17% | 85% |
| Putnam County, OH | 21 mi | 66% | 96% |
| Defiance County, OH | 22 mi | 49% | 92% |
| Wood County, OH | 23 mi | 55% | 91% |
| Paulding County, OH | 30 mi | 70% | 96% |
| Hancock County, OH | 31 mi | 33% | 93% |
| Williams County, OH | 31 mi | 22% | 95% |
| Allen County, OH | 39 mi | 31% | 93% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status