Laurens County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 50% of Laurens County's mapped land, a higher share than 67% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
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. 36% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1989.
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 Laurens County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 50.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 77.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.0% |
| Mapped soil | 522,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Tifton | 12% | 29% |
| Herod | 11% | n/a |
| Fuquay | 10% | n/a |
| Dothan | 10% | over 99% |
| Nankin | 8% | n/a |
| Orangeburg | 7% | 0% |
How we count · survey areas GA641 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 50% of Laurens 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: 36.58 in, 10.25 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.83 in.
USDA rates 77% 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 35 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 34 weeks, most recently on the June 9, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 71.6% |
| 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, $53,798 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 5.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.83 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.58 in (-10.25) |
| 2025 | 40.71 in (-6.12) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1928: 66.97 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 25.03 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at EASTMAN 1 W (21 mi away) | 14.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 22,065 |
| Median year built | 1989 |
| Built before 1980 | 36% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 64% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $154,500 |
| Single-family detached | 63% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treutlen County, GA | 21 mi | 4% | 51% |
| Dodge County, GA | 21 mi | 1% | 50% |
| Wheeler County, GA | 23 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Bleckley County, GA | 24 mi | 1% | 50% |
| Johnson County, GA | 26 mi | 2% | 50% |
| Montgomery County, GA | 28 mi | 0% | 50% |
| Wilkinson County, GA | 32 mi | 3% | 29% |
| Telfair County, GA | 33 mi | 1% | 61% |
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