Hendry County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 98% of Hendry County's mapped land, a higher share than 99% of US counties and the 4th highest of 66 Florida counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
54.2% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 34 flood losses here since 2016. 30% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1991.
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 Hendry County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 97.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 704,440 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Oldsmar | 11% | n/a |
| Holopaw | 9% | n/a |
| Immokalee | 9% | n/a |
| Cypress Lake | 9% | n/a |
| Riviera | 8% | n/a |
| Basinger | 7% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL051 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 98% of Hendry 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: 41.97 in, 9.97 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 51.94 in.
USDA rates 98% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
54.2% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 48 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 32 weeks, most recently on the June 30, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 77.2% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 54.2% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
34 flood losses since 2016, $297,467 paid. The worst year was 2017, with 20.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 20 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 51.94 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 41.97 in (-9.97) |
| 2025 | 46.54 in (-5.40) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1947: 77.44 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1981: 36.96 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at DEVILS GARDEN (9 mi away) | 17.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 16,149 |
| Median year built | 1991 |
| Built before 1980 | 30% |
| Built 2000 or later | 34% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $219,200 |
| Single-family detached | 58% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glades County, FL | 29 mi | 0% | 75% |
| Collier County, FL | 36 mi | 0% | 82% |
| Palm Beach County, FL | 44 mi | 0% | 84% |
| Broward County, FL | 48 mi | under 1% | 83% |
| Lee County, FL | 51 mi | 0% | 59% |
| Highlands County, FL | 57 mi | 0% | 80% |
| Charlotte County, FL | 58 mi | 0% | 77% |
| Martin County, FL | 60 mi | under 1% | 75% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status