Pike County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 54% of Pike County's mapped land, a higher share than 70% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 17%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 8 flood losses here since 2016. 51% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1980.
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 Pike County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 17.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 54.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 13.9% |
| Mapped soil | 284,044 acres |
How we count · survey areas OH131 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.1% by land area here, and 14% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 17% of the mapped land.
On 54% of Pike 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: 42.83 in, 0.66 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 43.49 in.
USDA rates 89% 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
8 flood losses since 2016, $57,135 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 5.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.49 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.83 in (-0.66) |
| 2025 | 46.16 in (+2.67) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 62.80 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 25.14 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PIKETON (2 mi away) | 9.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 12,107 |
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Built before 1980 | 51% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 69% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $163,800 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Pike County
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ross County, OH | 17 mi | 20% | 61% |
| Scioto County, OH | 18 mi | 8% | 34% |
| Jackson County, OH | 24 mi | 17% | 53% |
| Adams County, OH | 28 mi | 15% | 27% |
| Highland County, OH | 30 mi | 3% | 66% |
| Vinton County, OH | 33 mi | 12% | 37% |
| Greenup County, KY | 36 mi | 27% | 34% |
| Pickaway County, OH | 40 mi | 19% | 72% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 3, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status