Calhoun County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 20% of Calhoun County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 7%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 24 flood losses here since 2016. 53% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1979.
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 Calhoun County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 7.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 19.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 78.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.5% |
| Mapped soil | 392,100 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Gorgas | 14% | n/a |
| Clarksville | 13% | 0% |
| Fullerton | 11% | 0% |
| Montevallo | 7% | n/a |
| Rarden | 6% | n/a |
| Anniston | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL015 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 20% of Calhoun 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: 46.10 in, 8.09 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 54.19 in.
USDA rates 79% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 22 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 14 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 30.2% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
24 flood losses since 2016, $274,246 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 7.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 54.19 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 46.10 in (-8.09) |
| 2025 | 54.10 in (-0.09) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2013: 72.46 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2007: 26.60 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at JACKSONVILLE (5 mi away) | 15.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 53,361 |
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Built before 1980 | 53% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 70% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $156,600 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleburne County, AL | 19 mi | 0% | 9% |
| Etowah County, AL | 23 mi | 4% | 15% |
| St. Clair County, AL | 28 mi | 0% | 12% |
| Talladega County, AL | 34 mi | 1% | 20% |
| Clay County, AL | 34 mi | 2% | 15% |
| Haralson County, GA | 35 mi | under 1% | 12% |
| Randolph County, AL | 38 mi | 0% | 11% |
| Polk County, GA | 40 mi | 1% | 28% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 9, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status