Colbert County, Alabama
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 18% of Colbert County's mapped land, a higher share than 67% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 17%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 38 flood losses here since 2016. 51% 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 Colbert County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 17.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 16.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 68.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 18.0% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.8% |
| Mapped soil | 399,170 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Chisca | 16% | n/a |
| Decatur | 14% | n/a |
| Saffell | 9% | n/a |
| Chenneby | 7% | n/a |
| Nectar | 7% | n/a |
| Pikeville | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL033 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.2% by land area here, and 18% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 18% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 18% of Colbert County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 17% of Colbert 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: 48.20 in, 9.07 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 57.27 in.
USDA rates 69% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% 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 19 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 20.6% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
38 flood losses since 2016, $864,159 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 18. Median water depth outside the building: 21 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 18 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 57.27 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 48.20 in (-9.07) |
| 2025 | 59.25 in (+1.98) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1991: 82.19 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1943: 33.50 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MUSCLE SHOALS RGNL AP (12 mi away) | 15.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 28,040 |
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Built before 1980 | 51% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $171,000 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale County, AL | 16 mi | 0% | 32% |
| Franklin County, AL | 18 mi | 16% | 31% |
| Tishomingo County, MS | 25 mi | 0% | 28% |
| Lawrence County, AL | 30 mi | 24% | 39% |
| Wayne County, TN | 37 mi | 1% | 8% |
| Marion County, AL | 39 mi | under 1% | 29% |
| Hardin County, TN | 41 mi | 2% | 36% |
| Prentiss County, MS | 41 mi | 15% | 49% |
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