Hancock County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 41% of Hancock County's mapped land, a higher share than 59% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 7%.
45.5% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, down from 79.1% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 32% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1990.
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 Hancock County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 7.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 40.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 54.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.1% |
| Mapped soil | 306,400 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Cataula | 12% | n/a |
| Cecil | 9% | 0% |
| Lloyd | 9% | n/a |
| Georgeville | 6% | 0% |
| Chewacla | 6% | n/a |
| Madison | 5% | 0% |
How we count · survey areas GA639 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 41% of Hancock 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: 33.38 in, 13.01 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.39 in.
USDA rates 54% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
45.5% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 39 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 27 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 | 45.5% |
| D2 severe or worse | 6.6% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Hancock County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.39 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 33.38 in (-13.01) |
| 2025 | 44.79 in (-1.60) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1929: 76.30 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 26.65 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SANDERSVILLE (23 mi away) | 14.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,971 |
| Median year built | 1990 |
| Built before 1980 | 32% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $88,600 |
| Single-family detached | 54% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin County, GA | 21 mi | 6% | 15% |
| Warren County, GA | 21 mi | 3% | 12% |
| Taliaferro County, GA | 21 mi | 18% | 55% |
| Putnam County, GA | 22 mi | 4% | 11% |
| Glascock County, GA | 23 mi | under 1% | 30% |
| Greene County, GA | 23 mi | 7% | 28% |
| Washington County, GA | 24 mi | 1% | 35% |
| McDuffie County, GA | 33 mi | 2% | 13% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status