Floyd County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 33% of Floyd County's mapped land, a higher share than 52% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 9%.
57.7% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 27 flood losses here since 2016. 54% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1978.
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 Floyd County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 33.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 77.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.4% |
| Mapped soil | 332,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Fullerton | 13% | 0% |
| Townley | 10% | n/a |
| Shack | 6% | n/a |
| Conasauga | 5% | n/a |
| Decatur | 5% | n/a |
| Chewacla | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas GA621 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 33% of Floyd 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: 41.14 in, 11.08 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.22 in.
USDA rates 77% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
57.7% 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 13 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 57.7% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
27 flood losses since 2016, $511,868 paid. The worst year was 2021, with 8.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.22 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 41.14 in (-11.08) |
| 2025 | 45.96 in (-6.26) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1932: 73.99 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2007: 28.44 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ROME (4 mi away) | 16 |
Homes
| Housing units | 40,918 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 54% |
| Built 2000 or later | 20% |
| Owner-occupied | 64% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $217,900 |
| Single-family detached | 73% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chattooga County, GA | 16 mi | 5% | 31% |
| Polk County, GA | 19 mi | 1% | 28% |
| Cherokee County, AL | 20 mi | 9% | 14% |
| Bartow County, GA | 21 mi | 0% | 18% |
| Gordon County, GA | 26 mi | 6% | 23% |
| Paulding County, GA | 31 mi | under 1% | 8% |
| Haralson County, GA | 32 mi | under 1% | 12% |
| Walker County, GA | 33 mi | 7% | 21% |
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