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West Jefferson, Ohio
Inside West Jefferson's city limits, a shallow water table limits basements on 93% of mapped land, the 3rd-highest of 6 cities in Madison County. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 38%, the highest of 6 cities in Madison County.
That water-table share is close to Madison County's 94%. FEMA's flood data list 11 flood losses since 2016 in the 3 ZIP codes overlapping the city. Of its 1,718 homes, 77% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1967.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Madison County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 3 overlapping ZIPs
of homes built before 1980
Basement waterproofing in West Jefferson
Basement waterproofing in West Jefferson: a shallow water table limits basements on 93% of West Jefferson's mapped land, more than in 82% of Ohio cities, and the 3 ZIP codes overlapping West Jefferson logged 11 FEMA flood losses since 2016.
About 1,400 of West Jefferson's 1,718 homes are detached houses.
Soil under West Jefferson city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 38.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 93.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 13.0% |
| Mapped soil | 6,707 acres |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.9% by land area here, and 13% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 38% of the mapped land.
On 93% of West Jefferson's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 97% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Madison County
0% of Madison County is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. County detail.
Flood losses by ZIP code
FEMA flood records since 2016 in the ZIP codes that overlap West Jefferson. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43162 | 77% | 0 | $0 |
| 43140 | 13% | 6 | $93,737 |
| 43119 | 10% | 5 | $96,874 |
Homes in West Jefferson
| Housing units | 1,718 |
| Median year built | 1967 |
| Built before 1980 | 77% |
| Built 2000 or later | 6% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $192,100 |
| Single-family detached | 83% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 7 mi | 36% | 97% |
| Hilliard | 10 mi | 31% | 88% |
| Plain City | 11 mi | 38% | 90% |
| Harrisburg | 13 mi | 0% | 11% |
| Unionville Center | 13 mi | 16% | 50% |
| Urbancrest | 13 mi | 10% | 63% |
| Valleyview | 13 mi | 0% | 24% |
| Marble Cliff | 14 mi | 0% | 20% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status