Hamilton County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 65% of Hamilton County's mapped land, a higher share than 78% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
2.2% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, down from 26.1% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016. 30% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1990.
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 Hamilton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 65.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.6% |
| Mapped soil | 332,400 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Mascotte | 20% | n/a |
| Alpin | 9% | n/a |
| Albany | 9% | n/a |
| Plummer | 9% | n/a |
| Blanton | 8% | n/a |
| Pamlico | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL047 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 65% of Hamilton 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: 32.64 in, 19.53 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.17 in.
USDA rates 88% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
2.2% 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 | 34.4% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 2.2% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2 flood losses since 2016, $2,747 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.17 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 32.64 in (-19.53) |
| 2025 | 40.16 in (-12.01) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 79.04 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 34.45 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at JASPER (2 mi away) | 15.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,653 |
| Median year built | 1990 |
| Built before 1980 | 30% |
| Built 2000 or later | 28% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $111,200 |
| Single-family detached | 50% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Echols County, GA | 15 mi | 1% | 94% |
| Suwannee County, FL | 21 mi | 1% | 30% |
| Columbia County, FL | 27 mi | under 1% | 68% |
| Lowndes County, GA | 30 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Madison County, FL | 31 mi | 0% | 62% |
| Clinch County, GA | 32 mi | under 1% | over 99% |
| Lafayette County, FL | 38 mi | 0% | 85% |
| Lanier County, GA | 38 mi | 0% | 82% |
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