Choctaw County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 35% of Choctaw County's mapped land, a higher share than 54% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 10%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, after 30.5% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 5 flood losses here since 2016. 44% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1984.
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 Choctaw County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 10.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 35.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.4% |
| Mapped soil | 589,470 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Luverne | 21% | n/a |
| Smithdale | 16% | 0% |
| Bibb | 7% | n/a |
| Arundel | 6% | n/a |
| Boykin | 6% | n/a |
| Izagora | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL023 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 35% of Choctaw 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: 51.22 in, 4.51 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 55.73 in.
USDA rates 90% 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 38 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 8 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
5 flood losses since 2016, $119,243 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 55.73 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 51.22 in (-4.51) |
| 2025 | 49.26 in (-6.47) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1961: 84.12 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 32.06 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at COFFEEVILLE L&D (17 mi away) | 16.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,200 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 44% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $123,400 |
| Single-family detached | 58% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke County, MS | 26 mi | 15% | 46% |
| Clarke County, AL | 32 mi | 9% | 31% |
| Marengo County, AL | 33 mi | 36% | 47% |
| Wayne County, MS | 35 mi | 15% | 40% |
| Lauderdale County, MS | 38 mi | 8% | 31% |
| Washington County, AL | 40 mi | 5% | 71% |
| Sumter County, AL | 43 mi | 37% | 62% |
| Jasper County, MS | 52 mi | 15% | 48% |
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