Hocking County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 36% of Hocking County's mapped land, a higher share than 55% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 14%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 34 flood losses here since 2016. 49% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1981.
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 Hocking County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 14.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 36.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 14.0% |
| Mapped soil | 271,194 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Shelocta | 22% | 4% |
| Westmoreland | 9% | 0% |
| Cruze | 8% | n/a |
| Wellston | 7% | under 1% |
| Dekalb | 6% | n/a |
| Berks | 5% | under 1% |
How we count · survey areas OH073 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 36% of Hocking 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: 46.99 in, 4.55 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 42.44 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
34 flood losses since 2016, $1.1 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 25. Median water depth outside the building: 14 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 25 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 42.44 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 46.99 in (+4.55) |
| 2025 | 45.78 in (+3.34) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 58.64 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 24.35 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at NELSONVILLE (13 mi away) | 9.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 13,013 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 49% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $186,400 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Hocking County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurelville | under 1% | 8% | 325 |
| Logan | 6% | 42% | 2,868 |
| Murray City | 16% | 33% | 178 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinton County, OH | 16 mi | 12% | 37% |
| Fairfield County, OH | 19 mi | 5% | 60% |
| Perry County, OH | 22 mi | 13% | 42% |
| Athens County, OH | 26 mi | 29% | 27% |
| Pickaway County, OH | 32 mi | 19% | 72% |
| Ross County, OH | 33 mi | 20% | 61% |
| Jackson County, OH | 34 mi | 17% | 53% |
| Morgan County, OH | 34 mi | 35% | 23% |
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