Richland County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 66% of Richland County's mapped land, a higher share than 79% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016. 74% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1965.
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 Richland County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 65.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.3% |
| Mapped soil | 320,198 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Bennington | 15% | 99% |
| Wooster | 11% | 57% |
| Centerburg | 7% | over 99% |
| Canfield | 7% | over 99% |
| Rittman | 6% | 99% |
| Loudonville | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas OH139 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 66% of Richland 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: 39.00 in, 1.69 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 40.69 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
2 flood losses since 2016, $32,944 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 40.69 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.00 in (-1.69) |
| 2025 | 38.51 in (-2.18) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1990: 54.31 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 23.98 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MANSFIELD LAHM MUNI AP (3 mi away) | 8.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 54,668 |
| Median year built | 1965 |
| Built before 1980 | 74% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 68% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $164,800 |
| Single-family detached | 72% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Richland County
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland County, OH | 15 mi | 1% | 63% |
| Crawford County, OH | 21 mi | 3% | 93% |
| Morrow County, OH | 22 mi | 9% | 87% |
| Huron County, OH | 26 mi | 2% | 90% |
| Knox County, OH | 26 mi | under 1% | 65% |
| Wayne County, OH | 34 mi | 2% | 66% |
| Holmes County, OH | 35 mi | under 1% | 62% |
| Marion County, OH | 35 mi | 40% | 92% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status