Jackson County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 53% of Jackson County's mapped land, a higher share than 69% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 17%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 7 flood losses here since 2016. 52% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1979.
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 Jackson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 16.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 53.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 16.7% |
| Mapped soil | 269,875 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Wharton | 14% | n/a |
| Latham | 10% | n/a |
| Clymer | 10% | n/a |
| Rigley | 9% | n/a |
| Omulga | 8% | 99% |
| Rarden | 7% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas OH079 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.2% by land area here, and 17% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 17% of the mapped land.
On 53% of Jackson 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: 41.65 in, 2.18 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 43.83 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. Part of the county was in drought in 2 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 73.9% of its area, on the May 19, 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
7 flood losses since 2016, $337,448 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.83 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 41.65 in (-2.18) |
| 2025 | 44.99 in (+1.16) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 59.16 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 25.36 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SALEM CTR 2 E (18 mi away) | 9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 14,548 |
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Built before 1980 | 52% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $150,700 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Jackson County
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinton County, OH | 18 mi | 12% | 37% |
| Gallia County, OH | 22 mi | 29% | 26% |
| Pike County, OH | 24 mi | 17% | 54% |
| Scioto County, OH | 25 mi | 8% | 34% |
| Lawrence County, OH | 29 mi | 29% | 11% |
| Meigs County, OH | 32 mi | 43% | 21% |
| Ross County, OH | 32 mi | 20% | 61% |
| Hocking County, OH | 34 mi | 14% | 36% |
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