Sumter County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 39% of Sumter County's mapped land, a higher share than 57% 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 5 flood losses here since 2016. 49% 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 Sumter County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 38.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 56.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 314,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Tifton | 20% | 29% |
| Greenville | 16% | n/a |
| Orangeburg | 10% | 0% |
| Red Bay | 7% | n/a |
| Carnegie | 5% | n/a |
| Americus | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas GA652 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 39% of Sumter 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: 39.29 in, 11.17 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.46 in.
USDA rates 56% 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 36 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 35 weeks, most recently on the June 16, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 78% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
5 flood losses since 2016, $51,597 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.46 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.29 in (-11.17) |
| 2025 | 44.08 in (-6.38) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 74.27 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 25.62 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at AMERICUS (3 mi away) | 15.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 13,514 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 49% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 57% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $120,200 |
| Single-family detached | 61% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County, GA | 16 mi | 0% | 54% |
| Schley County, GA | 17 mi | 0% | 12% |
| Webster County, GA | 20 mi | 0% | 20% |
| Terrell County, GA | 23 mi | 0% | 44% |
| Macon County, GA | 24 mi | 2% | 41% |
| Dooly County, GA | 24 mi | 1% | 52% |
| Crisp County, GA | 28 mi | 0% | 49% |
| Marion County, GA | 29 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