Sarasota County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 86% of Sarasota County's mapped land, a higher share than 93% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
The soil survey maps 50% of the county's land area; these shares describe the mapped part. 63.6% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, down from 100% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 9,725 flood losses here since 2016, under 1% of them in buildings with basements. 36% 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 Sarasota County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 85.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 85.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 178,185 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Holopaw | 26% | n/a |
| Pineda | 21% | n/a |
| Felda | 8% | n/a |
| Bradenton | 4% | n/a |
| Pomello | 4% | n/a |
| Wabasso | 2% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL115 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 86% of Sarasota 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: 36.47 in, 17.23 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 53.70 in.
USDA rates 86% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
63.6% 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 48 weeks, most recently on the October 6, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 63.6% |
| D2 severe or worse | 21.2% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
9,725 flood losses since 2016, $822.4 million paid. The worst year was 2024, with 7,847. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: under 1% basements, 75% slabs, 4% crawl spaces, 21% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 21 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 44 |
| 2017 | 202 |
| 2018 | 24 |
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2020 | 97 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 1,316 |
| 2023 | 146 |
| 2024 | 7,847 |
| 2025 | 18 |
| 2026 to date | 9 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 53.70 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.47 in (-17.23) |
| 2025 | 40.43 in (-13.27) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1959: 78.69 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1927: 34.92 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MYAKKA RVR SP (7 mi away) | 20.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 266,492 |
| Median year built | 1988 |
| Built before 1980 | 36% |
| Built 2000 or later | 33% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $411,800 |
| Single-family detached | 57% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manatee County, FL | 18 mi | under 1% | 90% |
| Charlotte County, FL | 34 mi | 0% | 77% |
| DeSoto County, FL | 38 mi | under 1% | 99% |
| Hardee County, FL | 41 mi | under 1% | 99% |
| Hillsborough County, FL | 46 mi | 1% | 78% |
| Pinellas County, FL | 52 mi | 0% | 38% |
| Lee County, FL | 53 mi | 0% | 59% |
| Highlands County, FL | 67 mi | 0% | 80% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status