Pinellas County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 38% of Pinellas County's mapped land, a higher share than 57% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
100% of the county is in drought on the September 22, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 30,513 flood losses here since 2016, under 1% of them in buildings with basements. 59% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.
Data as of September 22, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, September 22, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Pinellas County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 38.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 43.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Urban land, not rated | 28.2% |
| Mapped soil | 209,430 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Myakka | 12% | 100% |
| Astatula | 4% | n/a |
| Matlacha | 4% | n/a |
| St. Augustine | 3% | n/a |
| Kesson | 3% | n/a |
| Immokalee | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL103 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 38% of Pinellas 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: 37.18 in, 15.47 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.65 in.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the September 22, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 47 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 47 weeks, most recently on the September 22, 2026 map.
| Category, September 22, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 99.8% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 14.1% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
30,513 flood losses since 2016, $3.58 billion paid. The worst year was 2024, with 26,366. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: under 1% basements, 77% slabs, 6% crawl spaces, 18% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 25 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 266 |
| 2017 | 276 |
| 2018 | 41 |
| 2019 | 57 |
| 2020 | 1,100 |
| 2021 | 37 |
| 2022 | 66 |
| 2023 | 2,237 |
| 2024 | 26,366 |
| 2025 | 51 |
| 2026 to date | 16 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.65 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.18 in (-15.47) |
| 2025 | 40.20 in (-12.45) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1959: 80.94 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2023: 34.50 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ST PETERSBURG (14 mi away) | 15.4 |
Homes
| Housing units | 520,107 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 59% |
| Built 2000 or later | 13% |
| Owner-occupied | 70% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $355,100 |
| Single-family detached | 48% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough County, FL | 26 mi | 1% | 78% |
| Pasco County, FL | 33 mi | 1% | 68% |
| Manatee County, FL | 39 mi | under 1% | 90% |
| Hernando County, FL | 48 mi | 4% | 50% |
| Sarasota County, FL | 52 mi | 0% | 86% |
| Hardee County, FL | 66 mi | under 1% | 99% |
| Citrus County, FL | 66 mi | under 1% | 39% |
| Polk County, FL | 67 mi | 6% | 68% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (September 22, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status