Monroe County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 38% of Monroe County's mapped land, a higher share than 56% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 12%.
99.3% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses here since 2016. 42% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1984.
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 Monroe County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 11.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 37.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 82.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 11.2% |
| Mapped soil | 659,370 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Saffell | 16% | n/a |
| Malbis | 11% | n/a |
| Luverne | 9% | n/a |
| Bama | 9% | n/a |
| Bibb | 7% | n/a |
| Flomaton | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL099 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 38% of Monroe 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: 49.01 in, 9.40 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 58.41 in.
USDA rates 83% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
99.3% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 44 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 22 weeks, most recently on the October 6, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 99.3% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0.8% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
1 flood losses since 2016, $0 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 58.41 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 49.01 in (-9.40) |
| 2025 | 47.77 in (-10.64) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1975: 89.20 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 33.60 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at EVERGREEN (27 mi away) | 19.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 10,208 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $120,600 |
| Single-family detached | 67% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conecuh County, AL | 26 mi | 10% | 24% |
| Clarke County, AL | 27 mi | 9% | 31% |
| Wilcox County, AL | 29 mi | 33% | 41% |
| Escambia County, AL | 34 mi | 0% | 36% |
| Butler County, AL | 43 mi | 14% | 30% |
| Washington County, AL | 50 mi | 5% | 71% |
| Marengo County, AL | 53 mi | 36% | 47% |
| Dallas County, AL | 54 mi | 22% | 51% |
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