Elbert County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 19% of Elbert County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 12%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 52% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1979.
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 Elbert County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 12.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 19.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 38.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 13.7% |
| Mapped soil | 239,600 acres |
How we count · survey areas GA636 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 19% of Elbert 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: 34.48 in, 13.53 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.01 in.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 35 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 33 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 18% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Elbert County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.01 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.48 in (-13.53) |
| 2025 | 44.87 in (-3.14) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1929: 76.12 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2016: 28.25 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ELBERTON 2 N (2 mi away) | 14.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 9,426 |
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Built before 1980 | 52% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $142,000 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hart County, GA | 18 mi | 0% | 6% |
| Madison County, GA | 21 mi | under 1% | 8% |
| Oglethorpe County, GA | 22 mi | 6% | 10% |
| Abbeville County, SC | 23 mi | 5% | 22% |
| Wilkes County, GA | 24 mi | 6% | 10% |
| Franklin County, GA | 28 mi | under 1% | 10% |
| Anderson County, SC | 30 mi | under 1% | 11% |
| Lincoln County, GA | 32 mi | 8% | 10% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 5, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status