Escambia County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 47% of Escambia County's mapped land, a higher share than 64% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, after 7.2% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 2,744 flood losses here since 2016, 1% of them in buildings with basements. 44% 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 Escambia County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 47.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 65.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.1% |
| Mapped soil | 481,600 acres |
How we count · survey areas FL033 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 47% of Escambia 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: 50.76 in, 13.04 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 63.80 in.
USDA rates 66% 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 41 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 20 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 7.5% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2,744 flood losses since 2016, $105.3 million paid. The worst year was 2020, with 2,495. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 1% basements, 54% slabs, 6% crawl spaces, 40% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 20 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 39 |
| 2018 | 24 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 2,495 |
| 2021 | 28 |
| 2022 | 7 |
| 2023 | 115 |
| 2024 | 16 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 3 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 63.80 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 50.76 in (-13.04) |
| 2025 | 53.10 in (-10.70) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1929: 87.88 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 32.00 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PENSACOLA RGNL AP (9 mi away) | 20.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 149,217 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 44% |
| Built 2000 or later | 26% |
| Owner-occupied | 65% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $257,200 |
| Single-family detached | 68% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa County, FL | 21 mi | 1% | 37% |
| Baldwin County, AL | 27 mi | 2% | 52% |
| Escambia County, AL | 42 mi | 0% | 36% |
| Okaloosa County, FL | 44 mi | 0% | 32% |
| Mobile County, AL | 53 mi | 2% | 47% |
| Conecuh County, AL | 65 mi | 10% | 24% |
| Walton County, FL | 69 mi | 1% | 43% |
| Covington County, AL | 71 mi | 2% | 42% |
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