Madison County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 62% of Madison County's mapped land, a higher share than 75% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 4 flood losses here since 2016. 38% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1988.
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 Madison County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 61.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 90.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 457,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Blanton | 13% | n/a |
| Plummer | 13% | n/a |
| Dorovan | 10% | n/a |
| Albany | 10% | n/a |
| Alpin | 7% | n/a |
| Pamlico | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL079 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 62% of Madison 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: 34.71 in, 19.08 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 53.79 in.
USDA rates 90% 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 50 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 | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
4 flood losses since 2016, $89,026 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 53.79 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.71 in (-19.08) |
| 2025 | 43.19 in (-10.60) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 83.34 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 32.02 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PERRY (25 mi away) | 17.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,418 |
| Median year built | 1988 |
| Built before 1980 | 38% |
| Built 2000 or later | 30% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $116,200 |
| Single-family detached | 56% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks County, GA | 27 mi | 0% | 63% |
| Jefferson County, FL | 27 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Lowndes County, GA | 29 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Hamilton County, FL | 31 mi | 3% | 65% |
| Suwannee County, FL | 34 mi | 1% | 30% |
| Taylor County, FL | 35 mi | under 1% | 92% |
| Lafayette County, FL | 36 mi | 0% | 85% |
| Echols County, GA | 38 mi | 1% | 94% |
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