Candler County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 58% of Candler County's mapped land, a higher share than 73% 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 5 flood losses here since 2016. 41% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1987.
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 Candler County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 58.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 90.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 159,200 acres |
How we count · survey areas GA617 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 58% of Candler 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: 29.24 in, 17.60 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.84 in.
USDA rates 91% 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 35 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
5 flood losses since 2016, $120,490 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 4.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.84 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 29.24 in (-17.60) |
| 2025 | 41.52 in (-5.32) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 68.16 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 26.05 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BROOKLET 1 W (23 mi away) | 14.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,664 |
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Built before 1980 | 41% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 62% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $159,200 |
| Single-family detached | 59% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emanuel County, GA | 19 mi | 6% | 54% |
| Bulloch County, GA | 19 mi | under 1% | 76% |
| Evans County, GA | 20 mi | 0% | 73% |
| Toombs County, GA | 25 mi | 0% | 50% |
| Tattnall County, GA | 25 mi | 1% | 71% |
| Jenkins County, GA | 28 mi | 9% | 65% |
| Treutlen County, GA | 29 mi | 4% | 51% |
| Montgomery County, GA | 31 mi | 0% | 50% |
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