Early County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 36% of Early County's mapped land, a higher share than 55% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
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. 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 Early County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 3.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 36.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 52.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.0% |
| Mapped soil | 331,300 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Tifton | 12% | 29% |
| Norfolk | 12% | 63% |
| Grady | 10% | n/a |
| Greenville | 8% | n/a |
| Orangeburg | 7% | 0% |
| Faceville | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas GA615 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 36% of Early 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: 39.98 in, 13.11 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 53.09 in.
USDA rates 52% 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 | 1.5% |
| 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, $268,109 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 53.09 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.98 in (-13.11) |
| 2025 | 41.05 in (-12.04) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1948: 80.23 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 27.13 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MORGAN 5 NW (25 mi away) | 16.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,956 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 67% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $131,300 |
| Single-family detached | 67% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miller County, GA | 15 mi | 3% | 64% |
| Clay County, GA | 21 mi | under 1% | 13% |
| Calhoun County, GA | 21 mi | 1% | 39% |
| Henry County, AL | 24 mi | 2% | 23% |
| Houston County, AL | 26 mi | under 1% | 63% |
| Baker County, GA | 27 mi | 2% | 33% |
| Seminole County, GA | 27 mi | under 1% | 51% |
| Randolph County, GA | 32 mi | 0% | 11% |
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