Washington County, Florida
A shallow water table limits basements on 61% of Washington County's mapped land, a higher share than 75% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on under 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 39 flood losses here since 2016. 34% 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 Washington County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 61.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 83.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.1% |
| Mapped soil | 393,800 acres |
How we count · survey areas FL133 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 61% of Washington 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: 51.19 in, 8.01 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 59.20 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 36 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 35 weeks, most recently on the June 16, 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
39 flood losses since 2016, $2.7 million paid. The worst year was 2020, with 16. Median water depth outside the building: 15.5 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 16 |
| 2021 | 10 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 59.20 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 51.19 in (-8.01) |
| 2025 | 49.79 in (-9.41) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 81.58 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 30.81 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CHIPLEY (14 mi away) | 19.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 11,044 |
| Median year built | 1990 |
| Built before 1980 | 34% |
| Built 2000 or later | 29% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $171,000 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holmes County, FL | 21 mi | under 1% | 65% |
| Jackson County, FL | 29 mi | 1% | 49% |
| Walton County, FL | 30 mi | 1% | 43% |
| Bay County, FL | 31 mi | 0% | 64% |
| Calhoun County, FL | 31 mi | 4% | 72% |
| Geneva County, AL | 36 mi | 1% | 55% |
| Houston County, AL | 44 mi | under 1% | 63% |
| Seminole County, GA | 52 mi | under 1% | 51% |
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