Houston County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 63% of Houston County's mapped land, a higher share than 76% of US counties and the 2nd highest of 67 Alabama counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 36 flood losses here since 2016, 3% of them in buildings with basements. 43% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1985.
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 Houston County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 63.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 74.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.3% |
| Urban land, not rated | 2.4% |
| Mapped soil | 372,060 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Dothan | 28% | over 99% |
| Troup | 9% | 0% |
| Orangeburg | 7% | 0% |
| Nankin | 5% | n/a |
| Bibb | 4% | n/a |
| Pansey | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL069 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 63% of Houston 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: 44.76 in, 11.12 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 55.88 in.
USDA rates 75% 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 33 weeks, most recently on the June 2, 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
36 flood losses since 2016, $666,830 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 14. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 3% basements, 79% slabs, 10% crawl spaces, 7% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 13.5 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 14 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 55.88 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 44.76 in (-11.12) |
| 2025 | 43.70 in (-12.18) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 77.26 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 29.20 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CHIPLEY (30 mi away) | 19.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 50,158 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 43% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 64% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $183,300 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County, AL | 25 mi | 2% | 23% |
| Early County, GA | 26 mi | 3% | 36% |
| Jackson County, FL | 26 mi | 1% | 49% |
| Dale County, AL | 26 mi | 6% | 43% |
| Seminole County, GA | 30 mi | under 1% | 51% |
| Geneva County, AL | 31 mi | 1% | 55% |
| Miller County, GA | 33 mi | 3% | 64% |
| Clay County, GA | 37 mi | under 1% | 13% |
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