Dale County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 43% of Dale County's mapped land, a higher share than 60% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016. 45% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1983.
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 Dale County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 6.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 42.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 70.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 6.2% |
| Mapped soil | 360,227 acres |
How we count · survey areas AL045 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 43% of Dale 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: 46.18 in, 10.05 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 56.23 in.
USDA rates 70% 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 40 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 35 weeks, most recently on the June 16, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2 flood losses since 2016, $0 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 56.23 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 46.18 in (-10.05) |
| 2025 | 47.25 in (-8.98) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1975: 80.67 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 28.94 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at DOTHAN RGNL AP (12 mi away) | 16.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 22,968 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 45% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 62% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $143,500 |
| Single-family detached | 64% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee County, AL | 22 mi | 3% | 22% |
| Henry County, AL | 23 mi | 2% | 23% |
| Houston County, AL | 26 mi | under 1% | 63% |
| Geneva County, AL | 27 mi | 1% | 55% |
| Pike County, AL | 32 mi | 4% | 26% |
| Barbour County, AL | 33 mi | 5% | 38% |
| Clay County, GA | 39 mi | under 1% | 13% |
| Holmes County, FL | 41 mi | under 1% | 65% |
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