Cook County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 68% of Cook County's mapped land, a higher share than 80% 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 3 flood losses here since 2016. 44% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1985.
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 Cook County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 67.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 97.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 149,000 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Tifton | 20% | 29% |
| Alapaha | 13% | n/a |
| Leefield | 13% | n/a |
| Fuquay | 11% | n/a |
| Osier | 5% | n/a |
| Bayboro | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas GA627 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 68% of Cook 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: 35.86 in, 14.03 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.89 in.
USDA rates 97% 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 50 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
3 flood losses since 2016, $11,120 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.89 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 35.86 in (-14.03) |
| 2025 | 35.43 in (-14.46) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 77.46 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 25.97 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MOULTRIE 2 ESE (19 mi away) | 16.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,486 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 44% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 66% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $157,500 |
| Single-family detached | 64% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berrien County, GA | 15 mi | 0% | 73% |
| Colquitt County, GA | 20 mi | 0% | 55% |
| Tift County, GA | 22 mi | 0% | 53% |
| Lanier County, GA | 23 mi | 0% | 82% |
| Lowndes County, GA | 24 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Brooks County, GA | 24 mi | 0% | 63% |
| Irwin County, GA | 32 mi | under 1% | 57% |
| Atkinson County, GA | 34 mi | 0% | 84% |
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