Wakulla County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 76% of Wakulla County's mapped land, a higher share than 86% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 317 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 19% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1998.
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 Wakulla County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 76.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 89.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.9% |
| Mapped soil | 409,400 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Rutlege | 8% | n/a |
| Croatan | 7% | n/a |
| Leon | 7% | n/a |
| Scranton | 6% | n/a |
| Tooles | 6% | n/a |
| Ortega | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas FL129 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 76% of Wakulla 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: 36.94 in, 19.66 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 56.60 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 40 weeks, most recently on the July 21, 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
317 flood losses since 2016, $10.7 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 236. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 32% slabs, 10% crawl spaces, 58% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 36 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 50 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 236 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 28 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 56.60 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.94 in (-19.66) |
| 2025 | 44.95 in (-11.65) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 88.57 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 34.76 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at TALLAHASSEE (21 mi away) | 17.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 14,599 |
| Median year built | 1998 |
| Built before 1980 | 19% |
| Built 2000 or later | 45% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $258,300 |
| Single-family detached | 67% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leon County, FL | 26 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Liberty County, FL | 33 mi | 1% | 85% |
| Jefferson County, FL | 34 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Gadsden County, FL | 37 mi | under 1% | 43% |
| Franklin County, FL | 40 mi | 5% | 91% |
| Taylor County, FL | 44 mi | under 1% | 92% |
| Calhoun County, FL | 54 mi | 4% | 72% |
| Grady County, GA | 55 mi | 0% | 46% |
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