Wilkinson County, Georgia
A shallow water table limits basements on 29% of Wilkinson County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
18% 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. 45% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1982.
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 Wilkinson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 3.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 28.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 63.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.3% |
| Mapped soil | 289,500 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Orangeburg | 24% | 0% |
| Lakeland | 16% | 0% |
| Ailey | 6% | n/a |
| Vaucluse | 6% | n/a |
| Chewacla | 5% | n/a |
| Kinston | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas GA654 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 29% of Wilkinson 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: 34.77 in, 12.22 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.99 in.
USDA rates 64% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
18% 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 29 weeks, most recently on the June 9, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 18% |
| 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 Wilkinson County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.99 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.77 in (-12.22) |
| 2025 | 44.28 in (-2.71) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1929: 69.24 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1954: 25.09 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SANDERSVILLE (25 mi away) | 14.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,304 |
| Median year built | 1982 |
| Built before 1980 | 45% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $86,300 |
| Single-family detached | 62% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twiggs County, GA | 17 mi | 6% | 26% |
| Baldwin County, GA | 18 mi | 6% | 15% |
| Washington County, GA | 25 mi | 1% | 35% |
| Jones County, GA | 27 mi | 3% | 10% |
| Bleckley County, GA | 27 mi | 1% | 50% |
| Bibb County, GA | 30 mi | 6% | 22% |
| Johnson County, GA | 31 mi | 2% | 50% |
| Laurens County, GA | 32 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