Fayette County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 26% of Fayette County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
48.7% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, down from 69.2% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 50% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1980.
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 Fayette County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 25.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 98.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.0% |
| Mapped soil | 403,010 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Smithdale | 19% | 0% |
| Montevallo | 19% | n/a |
| Luverne | 10% | n/a |
| Ruston | 10% | n/a |
| Mantachie | 7% | n/a |
| Shubuta | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL057 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 26% of Fayette 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: 51.64 in, 6.91 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 58.55 in.
USDA rates 98% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
48.7% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 15 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the April 28, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 48.7% |
| 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 Fayette County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 58.55 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 51.64 in (-6.91) |
| 2025 | 62.62 in (+4.07) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1932: 79.29 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2007: 34.16 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WINFIELD 2 SW (14 mi away) | 20.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,810 |
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Built before 1980 | 50% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $125,900 |
| Single-family detached | 66% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar County, AL | 19 mi | under 1% | 44% |
| Walker County, AL | 27 mi | 0% | 6% |
| Marion County, AL | 30 mi | under 1% | 29% |
| Tuscaloosa County, AL | 32 mi | 1% | 16% |
| Pickens County, AL | 35 mi | 6% | 45% |
| Winston County, AL | 38 mi | 0% | 11% |
| Lowndes County, MS | 42 mi | 41% | 66% |
| Monroe County, MS | 43 mi | 28% | 72% |
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