Collier County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 82% of Collier County's mapped land, a higher share than 90% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
The soil survey maps 59% of the county's land area; these shares describe the mapped part. 36.3% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 12,708 flood losses here since 2016, 1% of them in buildings with basements. 17% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1996.
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 Collier County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 81.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 81.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Urban land, not rated | 8.5% |
| Mapped soil | 759,200 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Cypress Lake | 9% | n/a |
| Riviera | 9% | n/a |
| Immokalee | 6% | n/a |
| Copeland | 5% | n/a |
| Brynwood | 5% | n/a |
| Oldsmar | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL621 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 82% of Collier 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: 43.36 in, 11.57 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 54.93 in.
USDA rates 82% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
36.3% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 48 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 30 weeks, most recently on the June 30, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 78.2% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 36.3% |
| D2 severe or worse | 1.7% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
12,708 flood losses since 2016, $1.11 billion paid. The worst year was 2022, with 7,903. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 1% basements, 74% slabs, 2% crawl spaces, 23% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 23 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 14 |
| 2017 | 2,785 |
| 2018 | 21 |
| 2019 | 10 |
| 2020 | 45 |
| 2021 | 17 |
| 2022 | 7,903 |
| 2023 | 48 |
| 2024 | 1,847 |
| 2025 | 11 |
| 2026 to date | 7 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 54.93 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 43.36 in (-11.57) |
| 2025 | 42.88 in (-12.05) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1947: 74.98 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1988: 37.26 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at NAPLES (19 mi away) | 18.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 239,406 |
| Median year built | 1996 |
| Built before 1980 | 17% |
| Built 2000 or later | 42% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $540,700 |
| Single-family detached | 43% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hendry County, FL | 36 mi | 0% | 98% |
| Monroe County, FL | 41 mi | n/a | n/a |
| Lee County, FL | 50 mi | 0% | 59% |
| Broward County, FL | 58 mi | under 1% | 83% |
| Glades County, FL | 62 mi | 0% | 75% |
| Miami-Dade County, FL | 64 mi | 1% | 55% |
| Charlotte County, FL | 69 mi | 0% | 77% |
| Palm Beach County, FL | 71 mi | 0% | 84% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status