Hernando County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 50% of Hernando County's mapped land, a higher share than 66% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 4%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, after 30.7% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 1,680 flood losses here since 2016, under 1% of them in buildings with basements. 19% 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 Hernando County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 50.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.4% |
| Mapped soil | 320,600 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Candler | 28% | n/a |
| Arredondo | 6% | n/a |
| Nobleton | 5% | n/a |
| Blichton | 4% | n/a |
| Sparr | 4% | n/a |
| Okeelanta | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL053 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 50% of Hernando 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: 40.41 in, 11.57 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 51.98 in.
USDA rates 89% 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 48 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 26 weeks, most recently on the July 28, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
1,680 flood losses since 2016, $108.0 million paid. The worst year was 2024, with 1,058. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: under 1% basements, 62% slabs, 6% crawl spaces, 32% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 32 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 237 |
| 2017 | 77 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 291 |
| 2024 | 1,058 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 51.98 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 40.41 in (-11.57) |
| 2025 | 36.59 in (-15.39) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1960: 76.86 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2025: 36.59 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at INVERNESS 3 SE (21 mi away) | 15.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 92,535 |
| Median year built | 1991 |
| Built before 1980 | 19% |
| Built 2000 or later | 33% |
| Owner-occupied | 83% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $276,000 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasco County, FL | 17 mi | 1% | 68% |
| Citrus County, FL | 21 mi | under 1% | 39% |
| Sumter County, FL | 30 mi | 2% | 77% |
| Hillsborough County, FL | 47 mi | 1% | 78% |
| Pinellas County, FL | 48 mi | 0% | 38% |
| Lake County, FL | 51 mi | 4% | 51% |
| Levy County, FL | 53 mi | 5% | 65% |
| Marion County, FL | 54 mi | 5% | 35% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 28, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status