Clay County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 15% of Clay County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 43% 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 Clay County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 15.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 70.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.6% |
| Mapped soil | 387,500 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | 31% | 0% |
| Tatum | 23% | n/a |
| Tallapoosa | 10% | n/a |
| Riverview | 6% | n/a |
| Cheaha | 6% | n/a |
| Chewacla | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL027 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 15% of Clay 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: 49.65 in, 7.48 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 57.13 in.
USDA rates 71% 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 26 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 18 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 5.3% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Clay County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 57.13 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 49.65 in (-7.48) |
| 2025 | 57.08 in (-0.05) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1920: 78.70 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2007: 29.00 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at TALLADEGA (19 mi away) | 18.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,106 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 43% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $156,700 |
| Single-family detached | 67% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talladega County, AL | 19 mi | 1% | 20% |
| Randolph County, AL | 23 mi | 0% | 11% |
| Tallapoosa County, AL | 28 mi | 1% | 13% |
| Coosa County, AL | 32 mi | 1% | 10% |
| Cleburne County, AL | 34 mi | 0% | 9% |
| Calhoun County, AL | 34 mi | 7% | 20% |
| Chambers County, AL | 37 mi | under 1% | 17% |
| St. Clair County, AL | 40 mi | 0% | 12% |
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