Okaloosa County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 32% of Okaloosa County's mapped land, a higher share than 51% 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 450 flood losses here since 2016, 2% of them in buildings with basements. 30% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1990.
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 Okaloosa County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 31.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 75.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 0.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.4% |
| Mapped soil | 637,000 acres |
How we count · survey areas FL091 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 32% of Okaloosa 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: 52.15 in, 10.63 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 62.78 in.
USDA rates 75% 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 35 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
450 flood losses since 2016, $12.9 million paid. The worst year was 2020, with 338. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 2% basements, 72% slabs, 4% crawl spaces, 22% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 13 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 18 |
| 2018 | 22 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 338 |
| 2021 | 23 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 25 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 6 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 62.78 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 52.15 in (-10.63) |
| 2025 | 52.75 in (-10.03) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1947: 85.03 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 30.01 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at NICEVILLE (8 mi away) | 22.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 103,864 |
| Median year built | 1990 |
| Built before 1980 | 30% |
| Built 2000 or later | 34% |
| Owner-occupied | 68% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $351,200 |
| Single-family detached | 64% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa County, FL | 26 mi | 1% | 37% |
| Walton County, FL | 26 mi | 1% | 43% |
| Escambia County, FL | 44 mi | 0% | 47% |
| Covington County, AL | 44 mi | 2% | 42% |
| Escambia County, AL | 49 mi | 0% | 36% |
| Holmes County, FL | 49 mi | under 1% | 65% |
| Washington County, FL | 56 mi | under 1% | 61% |
| Geneva County, AL | 56 mi | 1% | 55% |
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