Obetz, Ohio
Inside Obetz's city limits, a shallow water table limits basements on 67% of mapped land, higher than 52% of Ohio cities. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 10%.
That water-table share is close to Franklin County's 71%. FEMA's flood data list 5 flood losses since 2016 in the 3 ZIP codes overlapping the city. Of its 2,600 homes, 47% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1991.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Franklin County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 3 overlapping ZIPs
of homes built before 1980
Basement waterproofing in Obetz
Basement waterproofing in Obetz: a shallow water table limits basements on 67% of Obetz's mapped land, more than in 52% of Ohio cities, and the 3 ZIP codes overlapping Obetz logged 5 FEMA flood losses since 2016.
In Franklin County, 81% of the 176 flood-loss buildings with a recorded foundation type had basements.
About 2,100 of Obetz's 2,600 homes are detached houses.
Soil under Obetz city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 10.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 67.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 81.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.5% |
| Urban land, not rated | 9.3% |
| Mapped soil | 3,820 acres |
What the numbers mean here
On 67% of Obetz's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 81% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Franklin County
0% of Franklin 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 Obetz. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43207 | 65% | 1 | $0 |
| 43125 | 21% | 4 | $172,565 |
| 43137 | 14% | 0 | $0 |
Homes in Obetz
| Housing units | 2,600 |
| Median year built | 1991 |
| Built before 1980 | 47% |
| Built 2000 or later | 31% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $220,900 |
| Single-family detached | 81% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groveport | 3 mi | 12% | 65% |
| Lockbourne | 4 mi | under 1% | 35% |
| Grove City | 6 mi | 17% | 83% |
| Bexley | 7 mi | under 1% | 65% |
| Brice | 7 mi | 5% | 98% |
| Canal Winchester | 7 mi | 16% | 85% |
| Commercial Point | 8 mi | 12% | 85% |
| Lithopolis | 8 mi | 6% | 81% |
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