Baker County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 33% of Baker County's mapped land, a higher share than 52% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 9 flood losses here since 2016. 52% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Baker County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 33.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 39.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.0% |
| Mapped soil | 222,700 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Orangeburg | 15% | 0% |
| Wagram | 12% | n/a |
| Grady | 10% | n/a |
| Lucy | 9% | n/a |
| Troup | 7% | 0% |
| Norfolk | 7% | 63% |
How we count · survey areas GA603 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 33% of Baker 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: 36.39 in, 15.05 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 51.44 in.
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 36 weeks, most recently on the September 29, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 98.6% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
9 flood losses since 2016, $212,573 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 51.44 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.39 in (-15.05) |
| 2025 | 40.49 in (-10.95) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1948: 75.07 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 29.45 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CAMILLA 3 SE (17 mi away) | 15.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,380 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 52% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $119,500 |
| Single-family detached | 66% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell County, GA | 17 mi | 2% | 35% |
| Calhoun County, GA | 17 mi | 1% | 39% |
| Miller County, GA | 20 mi | 3% | 64% |
| Dougherty County, GA | 21 mi | 9% | 42% |
| Early County, GA | 27 mi | 3% | 36% |
| Decatur County, GA | 31 mi | under 1% | 37% |
| Terrell County, GA | 32 mi | 0% | 44% |
| Grady County, GA | 33 mi | 0% | 46% |
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