Brevard County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 78% of Brevard County's mapped land, a higher share than 87% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 1,514 flood losses here since 2016, 2% of them in buildings with basements. 32% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1988.
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 Brevard County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 3.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 77.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 76.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 6.3% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.9% |
| Mapped soil | 828,399 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Myakka | 8% | 100% |
| Riviera | 6% | n/a |
| EauGallie | 5% | n/a |
| Immokalee | 3% | n/a |
| Everglades | 3% | n/a |
| Micco | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL009 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 78% of Brevard 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: 52.63 in, 1.09 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 51.54 in.
USDA rates 76% 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 27 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 14 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
1,514 flood losses since 2016, $33.5 million paid. The worst year was 2017, with 901. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 2% basements, 90% slabs, 2% crawl spaces, 6% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 7 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 176 |
| 2017 | 901 |
| 2018 | 17 |
| 2019 | 20 |
| 2020 | 15 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 168 |
| 2023 | 23 |
| 2024 | 61 |
| 2025 | 113 |
| 2026 to date | 6 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 51.54 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 52.63 in (+1.09) |
| 2025 | 47.72 in (-3.82) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1953: 70.85 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1981: 34.62 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MELBOURNE WFO (13 mi away) | 15.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 299,305 |
| Median year built | 1988 |
| Built before 1980 | 32% |
| Built 2000 or later | 30% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $339,600 |
| Single-family detached | 66% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osceola County, FL | 31 mi | 1% | 88% |
| Seminole County, FL | 38 mi | 4% | 63% |
| Orange County, FL | 41 mi | 1% | 72% |
| Indian River County, FL | 43 mi | 1% | 90% |
| Volusia County, FL | 60 mi | 3% | 74% |
| Okeechobee County, FL | 64 mi | 0% | 85% |
| St. Lucie County, FL | 65 mi | 0% | 89% |
| Polk County, FL | 65 mi | 6% | 68% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status