Washington County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 71% of Washington County's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties and the highest of 67 Alabama counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, after 100% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 4 flood losses here since 2016. 45% 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 Washington County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 5.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 70.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 90.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.3% |
| Mapped soil | 696,780 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Atmore | 11% | n/a |
| Poarch | 7% | n/a |
| Bibb | 6% | n/a |
| Malbis | 6% | n/a |
| Rutan | 5% | n/a |
| Escambia | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AL129 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
On 71% of Washington 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: 52.87 in, 8.94 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 61.81 in.
USDA rates 90% 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 40 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 13 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 | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
4 flood losses since 2016, $9,441 paid. The worst year was 2022, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 61.81 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 52.87 in (-8.94) |
| 2025 | 51.78 in (-10.03) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1961: 86.22 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 36.77 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at JACKSON (19 mi away) | 20.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,797 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 45% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 86% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $159,700 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greene County, MS | 28 mi | 21% | 47% |
| Clarke County, AL | 30 mi | 9% | 31% |
| Wayne County, MS | 32 mi | 15% | 40% |
| Choctaw County, AL | 40 mi | 10% | 35% |
| George County, MS | 46 mi | 10% | 33% |
| Perry County, MS | 49 mi | 12% | 37% |
| Mobile County, AL | 50 mi | 2% | 47% |
| Monroe County, AL | 50 mi | 12% | 38% |
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