Perry County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 46% of Perry County's mapped land, a higher share than 63% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 23%.
100% 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. 42% 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 Perry County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 23.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 45.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 23.7% |
| Mapped soil | 459,830 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Smithdale | 23% | 0% |
| Luverne | 17% | n/a |
| Vaiden | 8% | n/a |
| Maubila | 5% | n/a |
| Sumter | 5% | n/a |
| Sucarnoochee | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL105 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.3% by land area here, and 24% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 23% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 23% of Perry County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 46% of Perry 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: 38.72 in, 15.12 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 53.84 in.
USDA rates 97% 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 39 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 30 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 | 76.7% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 4.7% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Perry County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 53.84 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 38.72 in (-15.12) |
| 2025 | 45.27 in (-8.57) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1961: 75.07 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 29.70 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MARION JUNCTION 2 NE (12 mi away) | 16.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,962 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $86,400 |
| Single-family detached | 53% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hale County, AL | 21 mi | 18% | 45% |
| Dallas County, AL | 24 mi | 22% | 51% |
| Bibb County, AL | 28 mi | 1% | 30% |
| Chilton County, AL | 36 mi | 3% | 19% |
| Autauga County, AL | 38 mi | under 1% | 27% |
| Marengo County, AL | 39 mi | 36% | 47% |
| Greene County, AL | 41 mi | 32% | 59% |
| Wilcox County, AL | 45 mi | 33% | 41% |
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