Washington County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 35% of Washington County's mapped land, a higher share than 54% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
63.6% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 10 flood losses here since 2016. 51% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1979.
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 Washington County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 35.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 55.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.8% |
| Mapped soil | 438,000 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Orangeburg | 14% | 0% |
| Faceville | 9% | n/a |
| Lakeland | 9% | 0% |
| Dothan | 7% | over 99% |
| Kinston | 6% | n/a |
| Bibb | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas GA654 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 35% of Washington 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: 33.52 in, 13.16 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.68 in.
USDA rates 56% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
63.6% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 39 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 25 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 96.5% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 63.6% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
10 flood losses since 2016, $213,952 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 7.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.68 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 33.52 in (-13.16) |
| 2025 | 41.86 in (-4.82) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1929: 70.28 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 25.26 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SANDERSVILLE (0 mi away) | 14.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,769 |
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Built before 1980 | 51% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 65% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $112,500 |
| Single-family detached | 60% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County, GA | 21 mi | 2% | 50% |
| Glascock County, GA | 21 mi | under 1% | 30% |
| Jefferson County, GA | 23 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Hancock County, GA | 24 mi | 7% | 41% |
| Wilkinson County, GA | 25 mi | 3% | 29% |
| Baldwin County, GA | 27 mi | 6% | 15% |
| Warren County, GA | 31 mi | 3% | 12% |
| Emanuel County, GA | 39 mi | 6% | 54% |
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