Marion County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 29% of Marion County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
88.2% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 54% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Marion County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 28.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 83.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.1% |
| Mapped soil | 475,870 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Smithdale | 22% | 0% |
| Luverne | 13% | n/a |
| Ora | 11% | n/a |
| Hector | 7% | n/a |
| Savannah | 7% | n/a |
| Townley | 7% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL093 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 29% of Marion 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: 49.86 in, 10.89 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 60.75 in.
USDA rates 84% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
88.2% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 22 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 | 88.2% |
| 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 Marion County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 60.75 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 49.86 in (-10.89) |
| 2025 | 55.57 in (-5.18) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2020: 79.94 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1943: 36.80 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HAMILTON 3 S (7 mi away) | 19.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 14,220 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 54% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $106,600 |
| Single-family detached | 63% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, AL | 21 mi | 16% | 31% |
| Lamar County, AL | 27 mi | under 1% | 44% |
| Itawamba County, MS | 29 mi | 2% | 42% |
| Winston County, AL | 29 mi | 0% | 11% |
| Fayette County, AL | 30 mi | 2% | 26% |
| Monroe County, MS | 39 mi | 28% | 72% |
| Colbert County, AL | 39 mi | 18% | 17% |
| Walker County, AL | 41 mi | 0% | 6% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 10, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status