Volusia County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 74% of Volusia County's mapped land, a higher share than 84% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, after 14.6% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 8,561 flood losses here since 2016, 1% of them in buildings with basements. 35% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.
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 Volusia County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 73.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 83.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.6% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.0% |
| Mapped soil | 809,500 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Myakka | 8% | 100% |
| Pomona | 7% | n/a |
| Samsula | 5% | n/a |
| Astatula | 5% | n/a |
| Smyrna | 4% | n/a |
| Immokalee | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL127 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 74% of Volusia 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: 48.95 in, 2.95 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 51.90 in.
USDA rates 84% 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 41 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 17 weeks, most recently on the June 16, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 19.3% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
8,561 flood losses since 2016, $530.6 million paid. The worst year was 2022, with 4,067. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 1% basements, 86% slabs, 6% crawl spaces, 7% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 12 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 467 |
| 2017 | 981 |
| 2018 | 19 |
| 2019 | 14 |
| 2020 | 33 |
| 2021 | 26 |
| 2022 | 4,067 |
| 2023 | 47 |
| 2024 | 2,860 |
| 2025 | 39 |
| 2026 to date | 8 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 51.90 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 48.95 in (-2.95) |
| 2025 | 45.80 in (-6.10) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1953: 73.32 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2000: 35.89 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at DELAND 1 SSE (9 mi away) | 17.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 282,109 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 35% |
| Built 2000 or later | 28% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $313,000 |
| Single-family detached | 65% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminole County, FL | 26 mi | 4% | 63% |
| Flagler County, FL | 30 mi | 6% | 93% |
| Orange County, FL | 39 mi | 1% | 72% |
| Lake County, FL | 39 mi | 4% | 51% |
| Putnam County, FL | 50 mi | 1% | 68% |
| Marion County, FL | 54 mi | 5% | 35% |
| St. Johns County, FL | 58 mi | 5% | 88% |
| Sumter County, FL | 60 mi | 2% | 77% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 28, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status