Jefferson County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 41% of Jefferson County's mapped land, a higher share than 59% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
0.4% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses here since 2016. 48% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1981.
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 Jefferson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 40.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 51.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.9% |
| Mapped soil | 339,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Orangeburg | 17% | 0% |
| Dothan | 15% | over 99% |
| Faceville | 13% | n/a |
| Troup | 7% | 0% |
| Lucy | 7% | n/a |
| Fuquay | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas GA638 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 41% of Jefferson 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: 32.63 in, 14.19 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.82 in.
USDA rates 52% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0.4% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 40 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 25 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 27% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0.4% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
1 flood losses since 2016, $9,143 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.82 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 32.63 in (-14.19) |
| 2025 | 40.68 in (-6.14) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1929: 69.72 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 26.34 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LOUISVILLE 1 E (4 mi away) | 13.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,172 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 48% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 68% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $105,400 |
| Single-family detached | 65% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glascock County, GA | 16 mi | under 1% | 30% |
| Washington County, GA | 23 mi | 1% | 35% |
| Burke County, GA | 24 mi | under 1% | 53% |
| Warren County, GA | 28 mi | 3% | 12% |
| Johnson County, GA | 29 mi | 2% | 50% |
| Richmond County, GA | 29 mi | 1% | 26% |
| McDuffie County, GA | 29 mi | 2% | 13% |
| Jenkins County, GA | 32 mi | 9% | 65% |
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