Wilcox County, Alabama
A shallow water table limits basements on 41% of Wilcox County's mapped land, a higher share than 59% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 33%.
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 Wilcox County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 33.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 41.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 27.8% |
| Mapped soil | 582,690 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Luverne | 19% | n/a |
| Oktibbeha | 7% | n/a |
| Halso | 6% | n/a |
| Sucarnoochee | 5% | n/a |
| Brantley | 4% | n/a |
| Smithdale | 4% | 0% |
How we count · survey areas AL131 (2025-09-10)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.6% by land area here, and 28% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 33% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 33% of Wilcox County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 41% of Wilcox 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: 42.24 in, 12.16 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 54.40 in.
USDA rates 92% 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 42 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 25 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 | 56.2% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 4.4% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Wilcox County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 54.40 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.24 in (-12.16) |
| 2025 | 44.35 in (-10.05) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1961: 78.03 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 33.20 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PINE APPLE (20 mi away) | 19.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,334 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 17% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $98,800 |
| Single-family detached | 59% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County, AL | 26 mi | 22% | 51% |
| Monroe County, AL | 29 mi | 12% | 38% |
| Marengo County, AL | 34 mi | 36% | 47% |
| Clarke County, AL | 37 mi | 9% | 31% |
| Lowndes County, AL | 40 mi | 55% | 41% |
| Butler County, AL | 40 mi | 14% | 30% |
| Conecuh County, AL | 43 mi | 10% | 24% |
| Perry County, AL | 45 mi | 23% | 46% |
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