Perry County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 42% of Perry County's mapped land, a higher share than 60% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 13%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 37 flood losses here since 2016, 19% of them in buildings with basements. 52% 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 Perry County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 13.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 41.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 78.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 12.9% |
| Mapped soil | 264,148 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Westmoreland | 18% | 0% |
| Guernsey | 15% | n/a |
| Cincinnati | 9% | n/a |
| Bethesda | 6% | n/a |
| Wellston | 5% | under 1% |
| Westmore | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas OH127 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 42% of Perry 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: 48.13 in, 5.42 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 42.71 in.
USDA rates 78% 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
37 flood losses since 2016, $329,522 paid. The worst year was 2026, with 23. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 19% basements, 45% slabs, 26% crawl spaces, 10% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 20 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 23 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 42.71 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 48.13 in (+5.42) |
| 2025 | 43.68 in (+0.97) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 57.55 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 21.98 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at NEW LEXINGTON 2 NW (1 mi away) | 8.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 15,044 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 52% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $191,100 |
| Single-family detached | 76% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Perry County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corning | 17% | 29% | 230 |
| Crooksville | 13% | 51% | 1,095 |
| Glenford | 0% | 58% | 97 |
| Hemlock | 14% | 38% | 94 |
| Junction City | 3% | 61% | 347 |
| New Lexington | 4% | 38% | 1,946 |
| New Straitsville | 33% | 36% | 323 |
| Roseville | 3% | 45% | 723 |
| Shawnee | 23% | 23% | 222 |
| Somerset | 1% | 59% | 644 |
| Thornville | 0% | 87% | 705 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield County, OH | 21 mi | 5% | 60% |
| Morgan County, OH | 22 mi | 35% | 23% |
| Hocking County, OH | 22 mi | 14% | 36% |
| Muskingum County, OH | 22 mi | 17% | 39% |
| Licking County, OH | 27 mi | 1% | 69% |
| Athens County, OH | 30 mi | 29% | 27% |
| Vinton County, OH | 36 mi | 12% | 37% |
| Coshocton County, OH | 42 mi | 3% | 46% |
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