Noble County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 18% of Noble County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 31%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 12 flood losses here since 2016. 53% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Noble County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 30.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 18.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 27.5% |
| Mapped soil | 259,104 acres |
How we count · survey areas OH121 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.2% by land area here, and 28% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 31% of the mapped land.
On 18% of Noble 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: 45.76 in, 3.12 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 42.64 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. 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
12 flood losses since 2016, $121,263 paid. The worst year was 2022, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 42.64 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 45.76 in (+3.12) |
| 2025 | 40.58 in (-2.06) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 59.37 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 22.99 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CAMBRIDGE (18 mi away) | 8.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,798 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 53% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 84% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $163,600 |
| Single-family detached | 76% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Noble County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batesville | 59% | 37% | 28 |
| Belle Valley | 27% | 48% | 76 |
| Caldwell | 19% | 51% | 893 |
| Dexter City | 46% | 43% | 44 |
| Sarahsville | 41% | 42% | 80 |
| Summerfield | 49% | 6% | 88 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County, OH | 19 mi | 27% | 18% |
| Guernsey County, OH | 20 mi | 23% | 34% |
| Washington County, OH | 22 mi | 40% | 19% |
| Morgan County, OH | 24 mi | 35% | 23% |
| Muskingum County, OH | 29 mi | 17% | 39% |
| Belmont County, OH | 31 mi | 23% | 18% |
| Pleasants County, WV | 32 mi | 32% | 5% |
| Tyler County, WV | 37 mi | 34% | 9% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status