Pickaway County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 72% of Pickaway County's mapped land, a higher share than 83% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 19%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 15 flood losses here since 2016. 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 Pickaway County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 18.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 72.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 95.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.5% |
| Mapped soil | 324,032 acres |
How we count · survey areas OH129 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.3% by land area here, and 1% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 19% of the mapped land.
On 72% of Pickaway 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: 44.69 in, 3.54 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 41.15 in.
USDA rates 95% 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
15 flood losses since 2016, $152,143 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 5.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 41.15 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 44.69 in (+3.54) |
| 2025 | 46.78 in (+5.63) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 56.83 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 24.28 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CIRCLEVILLE (6 mi away) | 7.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 22,981 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 52% |
| Built 2000 or later | 26% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $256,800 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Pickaway County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashville | 18% | 80% | 1,878 |
| Circleville | 5% | 34% | 6,162 |
| Commercial Point | 12% | 85% | 909 |
| Darbyville | 1% | 41% | 64 |
| New Holland | 23% | 76% | 422 |
| South Bloomfield | 3% | 30% | 1,185 |
| Tarlton | 0% | 27% | 124 |
| Williamsport | 22% | 84% | 485 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, OH | 22 mi | 12% | 71% |
| Ross County, OH | 23 mi | 20% | 61% |
| Fayette County, OH | 23 mi | 37% | 96% |
| Fairfield County, OH | 24 mi | 5% | 60% |
| Madison County, OH | 25 mi | 36% | 94% |
| Hocking County, OH | 32 mi | 14% | 36% |
| Pike County, OH | 40 mi | 17% | 54% |
| Vinton County, OH | 41 mi | 12% | 37% |
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