Stark County, Ohio
A shallow water table limits basements on 60% of Stark County's mapped land, a higher share than 74% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 4%.
None of the county is in drought on the November 3, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 56 flood losses here since 2016, 46% of them in buildings with basements. 71% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1966.
Data as of November 3, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, November 3, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Stark County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 59.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.0% |
| Urban land, not rated | 4.7% |
| Mapped soil | 371,046 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Canfield | 16% | over 99% |
| Chili | 14% | 0% |
| Wooster | 8% | 57% |
| Ravenna | 7% | n/a |
| Sebring | 4% | n/a |
| Fitchville | 4% | 96% |
How we count · survey areas OH151 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 60% of Stark 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: 40.43 in, 0.37 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 40.80 in.
USDA rates 91% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the November 3, 2026 map. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.
| Category, November 3, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 13.7% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
56 flood losses since 2016, $982,967 paid. The worst year was 2022, with 14. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 46% basements, 29% slabs, 26% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 12 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 10 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 4 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 40.80 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 40.43 in (-0.37) |
| 2025 | 36.11 in (-4.69) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2011: 57.21 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1963: 24.96 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at AKRON CANTON RGNL AP (8 mi away) | 7.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 167,949 |
| Median year built | 1966 |
| Built before 1980 | 71% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 69% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $186,400 |
| Single-family detached | 75% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Stark County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance | 2% | 67% | 9,115 |
| Beach City | 0% | 6% | 396 |
| Brewster | 1% | 52% | 829 |
| Canal Fulton | under 1% | 51% | 2,628 |
| Canton | 1% | 25% | 33,836 |
| East Canton | 3% | 65% | 665 |
| East Sparta | 15% | 41% | 365 |
| Hartville | 1% | 59% | 1,503 |
| Hills and Dales | 0% | 14% | 91 |
| Louisville | under 1% | 68% | 4,560 |
| Magnolia | under 1% | 27% | 512 |
| Massillon | under 1% | 49% | 15,379 |
| Meyers Lake | under 1% | 8% | 535 |
| Minerva | 2% | 19% | 1,711 |
| Navarre | under 1% | 43% | 935 |
| North Canton | under 1% | 30% | 8,702 |
| Waynesburg | 0% | 18% | 424 |
| Wilmot | 0% | 99% | 115 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll County, OH | 22 mi | 2% | 28% |
| Summit County, OH | 23 mi | 2% | 63% |
| Tuscarawas County, OH | 26 mi | 7% | 42% |
| Portage County, OH | 26 mi | 3% | 78% |
| Wayne County, OH | 27 mi | 2% | 66% |
| Columbiana County, OH | 31 mi | 2% | 53% |
| Mahoning County, OH | 34 mi | 9% | 77% |
| Holmes County, OH | 34 mi | under 1% | 62% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (November 3, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status