Elmore County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 30% of Elmore 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, after 51.1% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 12 flood losses here since 2016. 29% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1995.
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 Elmore County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 29.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 61.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.2% |
| Mapped soil | 420,269 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Tallapoosa | 6% | n/a |
| Cataula | 6% | n/a |
| Gilead | 6% | n/a |
| Vance | 6% | n/a |
| Orangeburg | 5% | 0% |
| Chewacla | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL051 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 30% of Elmore 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: 42.19 in, 11.74 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 53.93 in.
USDA rates 61% 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 36 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 19 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 84.8% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
12 flood losses since 2016, $434,507 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 53.93 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.19 in (-11.74) |
| 2025 | 54.16 in (+0.23) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2009: 81.62 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 28.95 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at TALLAPOOSA WTR PLT (11 mi away) | 16.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 37,323 |
| Median year built | 1995 |
| Built before 1980 | 29% |
| Built 2000 or later | 41% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $223,900 |
| Single-family detached | 76% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coosa County, AL | 24 mi | 1% | 10% |
| Tallapoosa County, AL | 27 mi | 1% | 13% |
| Montgomery County, AL | 27 mi | 53% | 51% |
| Autauga County, AL | 30 mi | under 1% | 27% |
| Macon County, AL | 30 mi | 18% | 47% |
| Chilton County, AL | 38 mi | 3% | 19% |
| Bullock County, AL | 42 mi | 37% | 42% |
| Lowndes County, AL | 43 mi | 55% | 41% |
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