Lowndes County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 71% of Lowndes County's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 62 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 31% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1993.
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 Lowndes County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 71.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 96.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.2% |
| Mapped soil | 327,200 acres |
How we count · survey areas GA185 (2025-08-27)
What the numbers mean here
On 71% of Lowndes 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: 34.11 in, 16.88 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.99 in.
USDA rates 97% 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 50 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 44 weeks, most recently on the September 1, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
62 flood losses since 2016, $2.5 million paid. The worst year was 2024, with 37. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 58% slabs, 35% crawl spaces, 7% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 16 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 16 |
| 2024 | 37 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.99 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.11 in (-16.88) |
| 2025 | 38.57 in (-12.42) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 81.23 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 27.54 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at JASPER (29 mi away) | 15.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 51,450 |
| Median year built | 1993 |
| Built before 1980 | 31% |
| Built 2000 or later | 36% |
| Owner-occupied | 57% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $215,600 |
| Single-family detached | 68% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooks County, GA | 19 mi | 0% | 63% |
| Lanier County, GA | 19 mi | 0% | 82% |
| Echols County, GA | 23 mi | 1% | 94% |
| Cook County, GA | 24 mi | 0% | 68% |
| Madison County, FL | 29 mi | 0% | 62% |
| Hamilton County, FL | 30 mi | 3% | 65% |
| Berrien County, GA | 32 mi | 0% | 73% |
| Clinch County, GA | 34 mi | under 1% | over 99% |
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