Bleckley County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 50% of Bleckley County's mapped land, a higher share than 66% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
30.1% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses here since 2016. 43% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1984.
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 Bleckley County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 50.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 74.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.1% |
| Mapped soil | 140,200 acres |
How we count · survey areas GA610 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 50% of Bleckley 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: 36.45 in, 11.26 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 47.71 in.
USDA rates 74% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
30.1% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 39 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 34 weeks, most recently on the June 9, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 30.1% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
1 flood losses since 2016, $6,203 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 47.71 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.45 in (-11.26) |
| 2025 | 42.49 in (-5.22) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1929: 67.41 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 25.60 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HAWKINSVILLE (13 mi away) | 14.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,288 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 43% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $149,600 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County, GA | 16 mi | 4% | 50% |
| Twiggs County, GA | 17 mi | 6% | 26% |
| Houston County, GA | 19 mi | 6% | 20% |
| Dodge County, GA | 21 mi | 1% | 50% |
| Laurens County, GA | 24 mi | 2% | 50% |
| Wilkinson County, GA | 27 mi | 3% | 29% |
| Peach County, GA | 31 mi | under 1% | 17% |
| Wilcox County, GA | 33 mi | 5% | 55% |
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