Franklin County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 91% of Franklin County's mapped land, a higher share than 96% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 927 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 33% 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 Franklin County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 91.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.4% |
| Mapped soil | 364,600 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Scranton | 22% | n/a |
| Rutlege | 12% | n/a |
| Leon | 7% | n/a |
| Plummer | 7% | n/a |
| Meadowbrook | 5% | n/a |
| Pamlico | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL037 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 91% of Franklin 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: 42.94 in, 13.51 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 56.45 in.
USDA rates 95% 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 39 weeks, most recently on the July 14, 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
927 flood losses since 2016, $20.6 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 820. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 14% slabs, 4% crawl spaces, 82% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 32 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 61 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 820 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 38 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 56.45 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.94 in (-13.51) |
| 2025 | 49.81 in (-6.64) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1959: 90.57 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1917: 36.53 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at APALACHICOLA AIRPORT (13 mi away) | 17.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,562 |
| Median year built | 1988 |
| Built before 1980 | 33% |
| Built 2000 or later | 31% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $273,300 |
| Single-family detached | 69% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf County, FL | 30 mi | 6% | 92% |
| Wakulla County, FL | 40 mi | 1% | 76% |
| Liberty County, FL | 40 mi | 1% | 85% |
| Calhoun County, FL | 54 mi | 4% | 72% |
| Bay County, FL | 55 mi | 0% | 64% |
| Leon County, FL | 63 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Gadsden County, FL | 63 mi | under 1% | 43% |
| Jefferson County, FL | 73 mi | 0% | 71% |
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