HomeOhioAdams CountyWest Union
West Union, Ohio
Inside West Union's city limits, a shallow water table limits basements on 41% of mapped land, the 3rd-highest of 5 cities in Adams County. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 41%, the highest of 5 cities in Adams County.
That water-table share is above Adams County's 27%. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 45693 overlapping the city. Of its 1,347 homes, 61% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1976.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Adams County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 1 overlapping ZIP
of homes built before 1980
Basement waterproofing in West Union
Basement waterproofing in West Union: a shallow water table limits basements on 41% of West Union's mapped land.
About 800 of West Union's 1,347 homes are detached houses.
Soil under West Union city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 41.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 40.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 81.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 41.3% |
| Mapped soil | 1,812 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Bratton | 23% | n/a |
| Brushcreek | 21% | n/a |
| Opequon | 16% | n/a |
| Aaron | 13% | n/a |
| Lawshe | 8% | n/a |
| Crider | 5% | 0% |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.0% by land area here, and 41% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 41% of the mapped land.
On 41% of West Union's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 82% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Adams County
0% of Adams 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 Union. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45693 | 100% | 0 | $0 |
Homes in West Union
| Housing units | 1,347 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 61% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 38% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $132,500 |
| Single-family detached | 57% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | 8 mi | under 1% | 37% |
| Seaman | 10 mi | 0% | 75% |
| Winchester | 12 mi | 0% | 63% |
| Peebles | 13 mi | 40% | 34% |
| Russellville | 14 mi | 10% | 86% |
| Aberdeen | 15 mi | 3% | 12% |
| Ripley | 16 mi | 16% | 3% |
| Rarden | 19 mi | 1% | 79% |
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