Chatham County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 54% of Chatham County's mapped land, a higher share than 70% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 8%.
23.9% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 2,100 flood losses here since 2016, 2% of them in buildings with basements. 42% 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 Chatham County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 53.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 57.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.3% |
| Urban land, not rated | 26.1% |
| Mapped soil | 319,000 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Fear | 7% | n/a |
| Ogeechee | 7% | n/a |
| Ocilla | 6% | n/a |
| Ellabelle | 6% | n/a |
| Chipley | 4% | n/a |
| Pelham | 4% | 100% |
How we count · survey areas GA613 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 54% of Chatham 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: 27.34 in, 20.80 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.14 in.
USDA rates 57% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
23.9% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 48 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 34 weeks, most recently on the July 7, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 65.9% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 23.9% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2,100 flood losses since 2016, $46.8 million paid. The worst year was 2017, with 984. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 2% basements, 46% slabs, 15% crawl spaces, 37% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 13 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 794 |
| 2017 | 984 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 17 |
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 41 |
| 2022 | 19 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 181 |
| 2025 | 22 |
| 2026 to date | 8 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.14 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 27.34 in (-20.80) |
| 2025 | 44.79 in (-3.35) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 72.93 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1931: 29.58 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SAVANNAH INTL AP (13 mi away) | 14 |
Homes
| Housing units | 137,532 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 34% |
| Owner-occupied | 57% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $302,700 |
| Single-family detached | 62% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan County, GA | 21 mi | 9% | 89% |
| Liberty County, GA | 24 mi | 16% | 89% |
| Effingham County, GA | 31 mi | 2% | 92% |
| Jasper County, SC | 32 mi | 8% | 91% |
| Beaufort County, SC | 35 mi | 32% | 77% |
| McIntosh County, GA | 38 mi | 25% | 81% |
| Long County, GA | 41 mi | 6% | 89% |
| Bulloch County, GA | 48 mi | under 1% | 76% |
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