Water oak grows in moist or wet soils of upland and lowland forests. These trees are often found growing with sweetgum and other hardwoods. Under favorable conditions it is the most abundant species in the stand.

It is found on the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains from New Jersey to central Florida, west to eastern Texas, and north along the Mississippi drainage to southern Illinois and western Kentucky.  It can be found growing at elevations up to 1,000 feet.