Macon County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 41% of Macon County's mapped land, a higher share than 59% 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 no flood losses here since 2016. 55% 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 Macon County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 40.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 61.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.8% |
| Mapped soil | 258,800 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Dothan | 12% | over 99% |
| Orangeburg | 11% | 0% |
| Vaucluse | 10% | n/a |
| Lucy | 9% | n/a |
| Faceville | 8% | n/a |
| Lakeland | 7% | 0% |
How we count · survey areas GA634 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 41% of Macon 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: 37.27 in, 11.38 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.65 in.
USDA rates 62% 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 32 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 | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Macon County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.65 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.27 in (-11.38) |
| 2025 | 43.14 in (-5.51) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 72.51 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 26.18 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MONTEZUMA 2 NW (3 mi away) | 15.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,135 |
| Median year built | 1978 |
| Built before 1980 | 55% |
| Built 2000 or later | 14% |
| Owner-occupied | 65% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $97,300 |
| Single-family detached | 66% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schley County, GA | 17 mi | 0% | 12% |
| Taylor County, GA | 18 mi | 2% | 10% |
| Peach County, GA | 19 mi | under 1% | 17% |
| Dooly County, GA | 20 mi | 1% | 52% |
| Houston County, GA | 24 mi | 6% | 20% |
| Sumter County, GA | 24 mi | 0% | 39% |
| Crawford County, GA | 24 mi | 16% | 17% |
| Marion County, GA | 28 mi | 0% | 11% |
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