Washington County, IN Shrink-Swell Risk
Shrink-swell potential in Washington County, IN
Moderate
Soil across 57.7% of Washington County, IN comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 3.06% linear extensibility. That's a middle reading: not the sharp swings that crack a foundation outright, but enough that grading and drainage are worth getting right.
What this number does and doesn't tell you
This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Washington County, IN - never a reading for one specific parcel. A local geotechnical report, typically $1,000-$5,000 (around $2,700 typical), is the only way to know what one lot in Washington County will actually do.
Washington County: the real numbers
Washington County's soil reading points toward standard foundation practice as the likely outcome, not the exception. A geotechnical report runs $1,000-$5,000, typically around $2,700. Foundation repair, if a specific lot turns out to differ from the county average, runs $5,000-$15,000.
Where this sits nationally
Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Washington County, IN ranks 1,149 most-constrained nationally, and 40 of 90 within Indiana. The county spans 514 square miles, home to 28,345 people.
Before you act on this
Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Alleghany County, NC and Las Animas County, CO are worth a look for comparison.
How this reading is built, and its real limits · Moisture management: the cheap fix that works on any soil
Elsewhere in Indiana
Every county in Indiana is on this site, including Marshall County, IN and Pike County, IN. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.