Dougherty County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 42% of Dougherty County's mapped land, a higher share than 60% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 9%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 71 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 61% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1975.
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 Dougherty County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 9.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 42.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 50.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 9.1% |
| Mapped soil | 213,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville | 18% | n/a |
| Orangeburg | 15% | 0% |
| Grady | 8% | n/a |
| Tifton | 6% | 29% |
| Red Bay | 6% | n/a |
| Lucy | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas GA095 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 42% of Dougherty 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: 37.30 in, 13.19 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.49 in.
USDA rates 51% 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 36 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 | 79.3% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
71 flood losses since 2016, $1.4 million paid. The worst year was 2020, with 29. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 37% slabs, 32% crawl spaces, 32% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 24 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 29 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.49 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.30 in (-13.19) |
| 2025 | 41.24 in (-9.25) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 69.77 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 27.01 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ALBANY 3 SE (4 mi away) | 16.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 40,653 |
| Median year built | 1975 |
| Built before 1980 | 61% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 45% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $134,400 |
| Single-family detached | 61% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County, GA | 20 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Baker County, GA | 21 mi | 2% | 33% |
| Mitchell County, GA | 21 mi | 2% | 35% |
| Worth County, GA | 21 mi | 2% | 51% |
| Terrell County, GA | 22 mi | 0% | 44% |
| Calhoun County, GA | 25 mi | 1% | 39% |
| Colquitt County, GA | 35 mi | 0% | 55% |
| Sumter County, GA | 35 mi | 0% | 39% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 27, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status