Holmes County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 65% of Holmes County's mapped land, a higher share than 78% 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 20 flood losses here since 2016. 45% 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 Holmes County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 65.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.4% |
| Mapped soil | 313,400 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Dothan | 21% | over 99% |
| Ardilla | 15% | n/a |
| Fuquay | 15% | n/a |
| Stilson | 6% | n/a |
| Bibb | 6% | n/a |
| Pantego | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL059 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 65% of Holmes 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: 54.05 in, 6.35 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 60.40 in.
USDA rates 85% 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 39 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 33 weeks, most recently on the June 2, 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
20 flood losses since 2016, $919,408 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 17.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 17 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 60.40 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 54.05 in (-6.35) |
| 2025 | 50.82 in (-9.58) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 84.73 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 29.42 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GENEVA #2 (13 mi away) | 19.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,659 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 45% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $110,200 |
| Single-family detached | 59% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geneva County, AL | 16 mi | 1% | 55% |
| Washington County, FL | 21 mi | under 1% | 61% |
| Walton County, FL | 28 mi | 1% | 43% |
| Jackson County, FL | 36 mi | 1% | 49% |
| Houston County, AL | 37 mi | under 1% | 63% |
| Coffee County, AL | 39 mi | 3% | 22% |
| Dale County, AL | 41 mi | 6% | 43% |
| Covington County, AL | 46 mi | 2% | 42% |
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