Leon County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 41% of Leon County's mapped land, a higher share than 59% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 89 flood losses here since 2016, 6% of them in buildings with basements. 33% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1989.
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 Leon County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 41.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 60.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.1% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.3% |
| Mapped soil | 449,200 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Orangeburg | 15% | 0% |
| Dorovan | 6% | n/a |
| Blanton | 6% | n/a |
| Kershaw | 6% | n/a |
| Plummer | 5% | n/a |
| Leon | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL073 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 41% of Leon 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: 34.08 in, 21.70 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 55.78 in.
USDA rates 60% 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 47 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 40 weeks, most recently on the July 21, 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
89 flood losses since 2016, $1.8 million paid. The worst year was 2024, with 51. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 6% basements, 65% slabs, 13% crawl spaces, 17% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 10 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 20 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 51 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 55.78 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.08 in (-21.70) |
| 2025 | 42.20 in (-13.58) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 91.29 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 30.78 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at TALLAHASSEE (5 mi away) | 17.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 137,793 |
| Median year built | 1989 |
| Built before 1980 | 33% |
| Built 2000 or later | 30% |
| Owner-occupied | 53% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $301,800 |
| Single-family detached | 49% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gadsden County, FL | 22 mi | under 1% | 43% |
| Jefferson County, FL | 22 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Wakulla County, FL | 26 mi | 1% | 76% |
| Grady County, GA | 29 mi | 0% | 46% |
| Decatur County, GA | 34 mi | under 1% | 37% |
| Thomas County, GA | 35 mi | 0% | 53% |
| Liberty County, FL | 38 mi | 1% | 85% |
| Seminole County, GA | 48 mi | under 1% | 51% |
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