Preble County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 86% of Preble County's mapped land, a higher share than 93% 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 4 flood losses here since 2016. 65% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1972.
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 Preble County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 16.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 85.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.0% |
| Mapped soil | 272,947 acres |
How we count · survey areas OH135 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.7% by land area here, and 8% 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 86% of Preble 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: 52.38 in, 9.47 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 42.91 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
4 flood losses since 2016, $21,674 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 42.91 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 52.38 in (+9.47) |
| 2025 | 41.81 in (-1.10) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1950: 56.79 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1934: 24.61 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at EATON (1 mi away) | 10.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 18,140 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 65% |
| Built 2000 or later | 13% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $180,900 |
| Single-family detached | 87% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Preble County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camden | 1% | 33% | 995 |
| College Corner | 1% | 93% | 207 |
| Eaton | 19% | 89% | 3,974 |
| Eldorado | 20% | 99% | 302 |
| Gratis | 7% | 88% | 326 |
| Lewisburg | 5% | 59% | 775 |
| New Paris | 9% | 35% | 842 |
| Verona | 28% | 97% | 287 |
| West Alexandria | 16% | 78% | 664 |
| West Elkton | 2% | 81% | 71 |
| West Manchester | 24% | 91% | 138 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, IN | 17 mi | 1% | 53% |
| Montgomery County, OH | 19 mi | 17% | 65% |
| Wayne County, IN | 21 mi | 10% | 72% |
| Butler County, OH | 21 mi | 13% | 30% |
| Darke County, OH | 27 mi | 26% | 96% |
| Fayette County, IN | 30 mi | 2% | 41% |
| Miami County, OH | 31 mi | 18% | 81% |
| Franklin County, IN | 32 mi | 15% | 53% |
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