Charlton County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 99% of Charlton County's mapped land, a higher share than 100% of US counties and the 2nd highest of 159 Georgia counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 7 flood losses here since 2016. 34% 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 Charlton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 98.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 99.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.6% |
| Mapped soil | 500,800 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Dasher | 19% | n/a |
| Leon | 13% | n/a |
| Pelham | 12% | 100% |
| Surrency | 7% | n/a |
| Lynn Haven | 7% | n/a |
| Dorovan | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas GA611 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 99% of Charlton 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: 34.72 in, 15.71 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.43 in.
USDA rates 99% 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 46 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 46 weeks, most recently on the September 1, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 41.5% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
7 flood losses since 2016, $372,249 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.43 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.72 in (-15.71) |
| 2025 | 42.20 in (-8.23) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 74.93 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 28.27 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at FOLKSTON 9 SW (1 mi away) | 14.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,755 |
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Built before 1980 | 34% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $142,800 |
| Single-family detached | 53% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau County, FL | 24 mi | 7% | 93% |
| Ware County, GA | 27 mi | 0% | 98% |
| Camden County, GA | 31 mi | 23% | 92% |
| Baker County, FL | 31 mi | 0% | 99% |
| Brantley County, GA | 32 mi | under 1% | 96% |
| Clinch County, GA | 36 mi | under 1% | over 99% |
| Duval County, FL | 41 mi | 6% | 78% |
| Pierce County, GA | 42 mi | 0% | 87% |
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