Putnam County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 96% of Putnam County's mapped land, a higher share than 99% of US counties and the 7th highest of 88 Ohio counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 66%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 7 flood losses here since 2016. 61% 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 Putnam County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 66.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 95.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 43.1% |
| Mapped soil | 309,971 acres |
How we count · survey areas OH137 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.9% by land area here, and 43% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 66% of the mapped land.
On 96% of Putnam 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: 34.17 in, 3.33 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 37.50 in.
USDA rates 97% 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. Part of the county was in drought in 26 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 24 weeks, most recently on the March 31, 2026 map.
| 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
7 flood losses since 2016, $39,448 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 37.50 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.17 in (-3.33) |
| 2025 | 30.94 in (-6.56) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 52.12 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 22.96 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PANDORA (10 mi away) | 8.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 13,884 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 61% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 87% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $201,100 |
| Single-family detached | 89% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Putnam County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belmore | 89% | 94% | 60 |
| Cloverdale | 93% | 98% | 61 |
| Columbus Grove | 49% | 83% | 717 |
| Continental | 93% | 94% | 667 |
| Dupont | 34% | 93% | 136 |
| Fort Jennings | 71% | 96% | 230 |
| Gilboa | 51% | 94% | 94 |
| Glandorf | 45% | 93% | 493 |
| Kalida | 39% | 90% | 581 |
| Leipsic | 77% | 93% | 841 |
| Miller City | 94% | 95% | 84 |
| Ottawa | 62% | 84% | 1,920 |
| Ottoville | 57% | 83% | 368 |
| Pandora | 13% | 91% | 636 |
| West Leipsic | 40% | 76% | 88 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allen County, OH | 18 mi | 31% | 93% |
| Henry County, OH | 21 mi | 62% | 96% |
| Hancock County, OH | 24 mi | 33% | 93% |
| Paulding County, OH | 24 mi | 70% | 96% |
| Van Wert County, OH | 27 mi | 64% | 99% |
| Defiance County, OH | 28 mi | 49% | 92% |
| Auglaize County, OH | 32 mi | 29% | 94% |
| Hardin County, OH | 35 mi | 35% | 97% |
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