Thomas County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 53% of Thomas County's mapped land, a higher share than 69% 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, after 58.4% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 11 flood losses here since 2016. 41% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1987.
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 Thomas County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 52.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 75.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 353,700 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Tifton | 24% | 29% |
| Alapaha | 13% | n/a |
| Orangeburg | 11% | 0% |
| Dothan | 8% | over 99% |
| Faceville | 8% | n/a |
| Leefield | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas GA612 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 53% of Thomas 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: 34.56 in, 17.99 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.55 in.
USDA rates 75% 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 51 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 | 58.6% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
11 flood losses since 2016, $783,283 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.55 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.56 in (-17.99) |
| 2025 | 39.24 in (-13.31) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 78.64 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 29.93 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CAIRO 1SW (18 mi away) | 16.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 21,130 |
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Built before 1980 | 41% |
| Built 2000 or later | 28% |
| Owner-occupied | 64% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $196,700 |
| Single-family detached | 67% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grady County, GA | 19 mi | 0% | 46% |
| Brooks County, GA | 20 mi | 0% | 63% |
| Colquitt County, GA | 24 mi | 0% | 55% |
| Mitchell County, GA | 30 mi | 2% | 35% |
| Jefferson County, FL | 32 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Leon County, FL | 35 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Cook County, GA | 35 mi | 0% | 68% |
| Lowndes County, GA | 39 mi | 0% | 71% |
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