Medina County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 91% of Medina County's mapped land, a higher share than 96% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the November 3, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 21 flood losses here since 2016. 46% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1985.
Data as of November 3, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, November 3, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Medina County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 91.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 95.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.3% |
| Mapped soil | 270,579 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Mahoning | 21% | 100% |
| Ellsworth | 13% | 99% |
| Bennington | 8% | 99% |
| Rittman | 8% | 99% |
| Centerburg | 5% | over 99% |
| Wadsworth | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas OH103 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 91% of Medina 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: 36.65 in, 2.84 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 39.49 in.
USDA rates 96% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the November 3, 2026 map. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| Category, November 3, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 41.3% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
21 flood losses since 2016, $314,051 paid. The worst year was 2021, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 39.49 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.65 in (-2.84) |
| 2025 | 35.63 in (-3.86) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 57.69 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 20.73 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at OBERLIN (20 mi away) | 7.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 76,202 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 46% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $287,000 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Medina County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick | under 1% | 89% | 14,840 |
| Chippewa Lake | 0% | 96% | 386 |
| Gloria Glens Park | 0% | 92% | 260 |
| Lodi | 1% | 85% | 1,327 |
| Medina | under 1% | 85% | 11,328 |
| Seville | 2% | 84% | 1,021 |
| Spencer | 3% | 87% | 266 |
| Wadsworth | 0% | 82% | 10,909 |
| Westfield Center | 0% | 94% | 511 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summit County, OH | 19 mi | 2% | 63% |
| Wayne County, OH | 20 mi | 2% | 66% |
| Lorain County, OH | 27 mi | 3% | 91% |
| Ashland County, OH | 27 mi | 1% | 63% |
| Cuyahoga County, OH | 34 mi | 1% | 51% |
| Stark County, OH | 35 mi | 4% | 60% |
| Huron County, OH | 36 mi | 2% | 90% |
| Portage County, OH | 37 mi | 3% | 78% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (November 3, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status