Scioto County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 34% of Scioto County's mapped land, a higher share than 53% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 8%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 21 flood losses here since 2016. 66% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1968.
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 Scioto County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 34.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.6% |
| Mapped soil | 394,381 acres |
How we count · survey areas OH145 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 34% of Scioto 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: 42.03 in, 0.76 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 42.79 in.
USDA rates 88% 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 5 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 53.1% of its area, on the May 19, 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
21 flood losses since 2016, $229,189 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 42.79 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.03 in (-0.76) |
| 2025 | 46.40 in (+3.61) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 57.61 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 23.97 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PORTSMOUTH-SCIOTOVILLE (7 mi away) | 9.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 33,070 |
| Median year built | 1968 |
| Built before 1980 | 66% |
| Built 2000 or later | 13% |
| Owner-occupied | 68% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $137,900 |
| Single-family detached | 72% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Scioto County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Boston | 1% | 7% | 1,212 |
| Otway | under 1% | 48% | 25 |
| Portsmouth | 3% | 16% | 8,466 |
| Rarden | 1% | 79% | 97 |
| South Webster | 6% | 67% | 401 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenup County, KY | 18 mi | 27% | 34% |
| Pike County, OH | 18 mi | 17% | 54% |
| Jackson County, OH | 25 mi | 17% | 53% |
| Adams County, OH | 26 mi | 15% | 27% |
| Lewis County, KY | 28 mi | 1% | 13% |
| Lawrence County, OH | 30 mi | 29% | 11% |
| Carter County, KY | 35 mi | 27% | 35% |
| Ross County, OH | 35 mi | 20% | 61% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 4, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status