Bibb County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 30% of Bibb County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
81% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, down from 100% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 3 flood losses here since 2016. 35% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1990.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, October 13, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Bibb County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 29.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.4% |
| Mapped soil | 399,980 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Smithdale | 25% | 0% |
| Luverne | 15% | n/a |
| Maubila | 11% | n/a |
| Bibb | 7% | n/a |
| Nauvoo | 5% | n/a |
| Sipsey | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL007 (2025-08-31)
What the numbers mean here
On 30% of Bibb 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: 43.76 in, 11.71 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 55.47 in.
USDA rates 92% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
81% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 39 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 22 weeks, most recently on the October 6, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 81% |
| D2 severe or worse | 32.6% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
3 flood losses since 2016, $86 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 55.47 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.76 in (-11.71) |
| 2025 | 51.76 in (-3.71) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1929: 79.35 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2007: 30.41 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at W BLOCTON (7 mi away) | 18.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 9,133 |
| Median year built | 1990 |
| Built before 1980 | 35% |
| Built 2000 or later | 32% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $145,700 |
| Single-family detached | 60% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chilton County, AL | 26 mi | 3% | 19% |
| Perry County, AL | 28 mi | 23% | 46% |
| Tuscaloosa County, AL | 30 mi | 1% | 16% |
| Shelby County, AL | 32 mi | 2% | 9% |
| Hale County, AL | 34 mi | 18% | 45% |
| Jefferson County, AL | 39 mi | 2% | 3% |
| Autauga County, AL | 44 mi | under 1% | 27% |
| Dallas County, AL | 47 mi | 22% | 51% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 31, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status