Wheeler County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 54% of Wheeler County's mapped land, a higher share than 70% 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. 40% 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 Wheeler County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 54.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 83.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 191,500 acres |
How we count · survey areas GA647 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 54% of Wheeler 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: 39.05 in, 7.80 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.85 in.
USDA rates 83% 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 | 0% |
| 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, $32,078 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.85 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 39.05 in (-7.80) |
| 2025 | 39.63 in (-7.22) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1928: 66.40 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 26.72 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at EASTMAN 1 W (28 mi away) | 14.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,435 |
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Built before 1980 | 40% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 66% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $88,200 |
| Single-family detached | 54% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County, GA | 13 mi | 0% | 50% |
| Telfair County, GA | 18 mi | 1% | 61% |
| Jeff Davis County, GA | 21 mi | 0% | 70% |
| Laurens County, GA | 23 mi | 2% | 50% |
| Treutlen County, GA | 23 mi | 4% | 51% |
| Toombs County, GA | 24 mi | 0% | 50% |
| Dodge County, GA | 26 mi | 1% | 50% |
| Ben Hill County, GA | 36 mi | 2% | 50% |
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