HomeMississippiAmite County
Amite County, Mississippi
A shallow water table limits basements on 67% of Amite County's mapped land, a higher share than 80% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses here since 2016. 42% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1985.
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 Amite County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 67.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.9% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.8% |
| Mapped soil | 468,400 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Providence | 32% | n/a |
| Smithdale | 19% | 0% |
| Ora | 10% | n/a |
| Gillsburg | 9% | n/a |
| Ariel | 8% | n/a |
| Ruston | 8% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MS005 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 67% of Amite 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: 53.52 in, 9.21 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 62.73 in.
USDA rates 92% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 30 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 11 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 71.1% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
1 flood losses since 2016, $14,681 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 62.73 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 53.52 in (-9.21) |
| 2025 | 56.46 in (-6.27) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1983: 82.75 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1924: 37.85 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MCCOMB/PIKE CO/JOHN E LEWIS AP (19 mi away) | 18.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 7,346 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $100,800 |
| Single-family detached | 59% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, MS | 20 mi | 10% | 45% |
| Pike County, MS | 24 mi | 0% | 71% |
| St. Helena Parish, LA | 27 mi | 0% | 66% |
| East Feliciana Parish, LA | 29 mi | under 1% | 67% |
| Lincoln County, MS | 30 mi | 1% | 69% |
| Wilkinson County, MS | 31 mi | 20% | 45% |
| Adams County, MS | 38 mi | 9% | 27% |
| Jefferson County, MS | 39 mi | 11% | 34% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 4, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status