Appling County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 75% of Appling County's mapped land, a higher share than 85% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 12 flood losses here since 2016. 38% 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 Appling County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 75.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 92.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 327,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Pelham | 22% | 100% |
| Leefield | 11% | n/a |
| Surrency | 10% | n/a |
| Olustee | 8% | n/a |
| Fuquay | 7% | n/a |
| Johnston | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas GA601 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 75% of Appling 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: 35.21 in, 11.99 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 47.20 in.
USDA rates 92% 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 35 weeks, most recently on the June 16, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 25.7% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
12 flood losses since 2016, $355,863 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 6.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 47.20 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.21 in (-11.99) |
| 2025 | 39.42 in (-7.78) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1912: 67.14 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 28.17 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ALMA BACON CO AP (19 mi away) | 12.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,565 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 38% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $76,700 |
| Single-family detached | 55% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bacon County, GA | 16 mi | 0% | 82% |
| Jeff Davis County, GA | 21 mi | 0% | 70% |
| Tattnall County, GA | 25 mi | 1% | 71% |
| Wayne County, GA | 26 mi | under 1% | 85% |
| Toombs County, GA | 27 mi | 0% | 50% |
| Pierce County, GA | 27 mi | 0% | 87% |
| Long County, GA | 32 mi | 6% | 89% |
| Montgomery County, GA | 33 mi | 0% | 50% |
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