Columbia County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 68% of Columbia County's mapped land, a higher share than 80% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
69.8% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 63 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 32% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1992.
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 Columbia County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 68.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.4% |
| Mapped soil | 512,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Mascotte | 13% | n/a |
| Blanton | 13% | n/a |
| Surrency | 9% | n/a |
| Plummer | 8% | n/a |
| Bonneau | 7% | n/a |
| Albany | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL023 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 68% of Columbia 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: 35.11 in, 17.19 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.30 in.
USDA rates 89% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
69.8% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 52 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 46 weeks, most recently on the September 1, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 95.7% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 69.8% |
| D2 severe or worse | 19.2% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
63 flood losses since 2016, $1.3 million paid. The worst year was 2017, with 37. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 59% slabs, 41% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 14 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 37 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 15 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.30 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.11 in (-17.19) |
| 2025 | 40.91 in (-11.39) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 78.72 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1899: 33.81 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LAKE CITY 2 E (3 mi away) | 17 |
Homes
| Housing units | 30,300 |
| Median year built | 1992 |
| Built before 1980 | 32% |
| Built 2000 or later | 32% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $194,900 |
| Single-family detached | 54% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, FL | 19 mi | 0% | 94% |
| Baker County, FL | 20 mi | 0% | 99% |
| Suwannee County, FL | 22 mi | 1% | 30% |
| Hamilton County, FL | 27 mi | 3% | 65% |
| Bradford County, FL | 33 mi | 0% | 93% |
| Lafayette County, FL | 37 mi | 0% | 85% |
| Gilchrist County, FL | 37 mi | under 1% | 38% |
| Echols County, GA | 38 mi | 1% | 94% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 27, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status