Gadsden County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 43% of Gadsden County's mapped land, a higher share than 61% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 6 flood losses here since 2016. 46% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1983.
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 Gadsden County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 43.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 74.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.5% |
| Mapped soil | 338,100 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Orangeburg | 11% | 0% |
| Fuquay | 8% | n/a |
| Bonifay | 7% | n/a |
| Dothan | 6% | over 99% |
| Lakeland | 5% | 0% |
| Bibb | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL039 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 43% of Gadsden 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: 36.20 in, 18.97 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 55.17 in.
USDA rates 75% 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 45 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 35 weeks, most recently on the June 16, 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
6 flood losses since 2016, $125,903 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 55.17 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.20 in (-18.97) |
| 2025 | 40.23 in (-14.94) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 86.46 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 31.42 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at TALLAHASSEE (21 mi away) | 17.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 19,144 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 46% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $174,900 |
| Single-family detached | 64% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur County, GA | 21 mi | under 1% | 37% |
| Leon County, FL | 22 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Liberty County, FL | 27 mi | 1% | 85% |
| Seminole County, GA | 29 mi | under 1% | 51% |
| Grady County, GA | 30 mi | 0% | 46% |
| Wakulla County, FL | 37 mi | 1% | 76% |
| Calhoun County, FL | 37 mi | 4% | 72% |
| Jackson County, FL | 38 mi | 1% | 49% |
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