Lauderdale County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 32% of Lauderdale County's mapped land, a higher share than 51% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 17 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 Lauderdale County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 32.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 65.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 460,030 acres |
How we count · survey areas AL077 (2025-09-09)
What the numbers mean here
On 32% of Lauderdale 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: 48.82 in, 8.54 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 57.36 in.
USDA rates 65% 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 43 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 20 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 | 66.8% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
17 flood losses since 2016, $331,484 paid. The worst year was 2019, with 9.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 57.36 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 48.82 in (-8.54) |
| 2025 | 55.40 in (-1.96) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1991: 79.26 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1941: 34.01 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MUSCLE SHOALS RGNL AP (11 mi away) | 15.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 44,936 |
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Built before 1980 | 50% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 69% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $200,300 |
| Single-family detached | 72% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colbert County, AL | 16 mi | 18% | 17% |
| Wayne County, TN | 25 mi | 1% | 8% |
| Lawrence County, TN | 26 mi | 0% | 21% |
| Lawrence County, AL | 32 mi | 24% | 39% |
| Franklin County, AL | 34 mi | 16% | 31% |
| Tishomingo County, MS | 35 mi | 0% | 28% |
| Hardin County, TN | 37 mi | 2% | 36% |
| Limestone County, AL | 39 mi | 1% | 42% |
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