Marshall County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 22% of Marshall County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 14 flood losses here since 2016. 41% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.
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 Marshall County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 6.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 22.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 68.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 6.3% |
| Mapped soil | 398,750 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Wynnville | 13% | n/a |
| Nauvoo | 11% | n/a |
| Hartsells | 11% | n/a |
| Nella | 8% | n/a |
| Albertville | 6% | n/a |
| Minvale | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL095 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 22% of Marshall 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: 53.11 in, 3.89 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 57.00 in.
USDA rates 68% 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 25 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 13 weeks, most recently on the May 19, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 99.9% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
14 flood losses since 2016, $456,567 paid. The worst year was 2021, with 7.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 57.00 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 53.11 in (-3.89) |
| 2025 | 55.19 in (-1.81) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1946: 76.42 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2007: 33.44 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GUNTERSVILLE (2 mi away) | 17.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 41,762 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 41% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $201,500 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Etowah County, AL | 24 mi | 4% | 15% |
| Blount County, AL | 27 mi | 9% | 10% |
| DeKalb County, AL | 31 mi | 2% | 16% |
| Morgan County, AL | 32 mi | 16% | 37% |
| Cullman County, AL | 34 mi | 0% | 21% |
| Madison County, AL | 34 mi | 21% | 37% |
| Jackson County, AL | 37 mi | 25% | 20% |
| St. Clair County, AL | 41 mi | 0% | 12% |
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