HomeOhioAshtabula CountyJefferson
Jefferson, Ohio
Inside Jefferson's city limits, a shallow water table limits basements on 95% of mapped land, the 4th-highest of 10 cities in Ashtabula County. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
That water-table share is above Ashtabula County's 89%. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 44047 overlapping the city. Of its 1,705 homes, 78% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1969.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Ashtabula County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 1 overlapping ZIP
of homes built before 1980
Basement waterproofing in Jefferson
Basement waterproofing in Jefferson: a shallow water table limits basements on 95% of Jefferson's mapped land, more than in 85% of Ohio cities, and the ZIP code overlapping Jefferson logged 2 FEMA flood losses since 2016.
About 1,400 of Jefferson's 1,705 homes are detached houses.
Soil under Jefferson city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 95.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 95.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.5% |
| Mapped soil | 1,595 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Mill | 55% | n/a |
| Platea | 20% | n/a |
| Darien | 10% | n/a |
| Stanhope | 3% | n/a |
| Alden | 3% | n/a |
| Wick | 3% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
On 95% of Jefferson's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 95% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Ashtabula County
0% of Ashtabula County is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. County detail.
Flood losses by ZIP code
FEMA flood records since 2016 in the ZIP codes that overlap Jefferson. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 44047 | 100% | 2 | $2,529 |
Homes in Jefferson
| Housing units | 1,705 |
| Median year built | 1969 |
| Built before 1980 | 78% |
| Built 2000 or later | 8% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $200,300 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Creek | 7 mi | 4% | 96% |
| Roaming Shores | 8 mi | 0% | 74% |
| Ashtabula | 10 mi | 0% | 49% |
| Geneva | 10 mi | 0% | 58% |
| Geneva-on-the-Lake | 12 mi | 0% | 80% |
| North Kingsville | 14 mi | 0% | 55% |
| Andover | 14 mi | 0% | 96% |
| Orwell | 15 mi | 0% | over 99% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status