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Newton County, Mississippi
A shallow water table limits basements on 47% of Newton County's mapped land, a higher share than 64% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 10%.
None 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. 48% 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 Newton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 10.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 47.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.2% |
| Mapped soil | 371,462 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Bibb | 19% | n/a |
| Smithdale | 16% | 0% |
| Shubuta | 12% | n/a |
| Sweatman | 8% | n/a |
| Ruston | 6% | n/a |
| Savannah | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas MS101 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 47% of Newton 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: 51.80 in, 6.64 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 58.44 in.
USDA rates 93% 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 14 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 6 weeks, most recently on the May 19, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| 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 Newton County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 58.44 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 51.80 in (-6.64) |
| 2025 | 50.55 in (-7.89) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1979: 80.56 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2007: 36.18 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at NEWTON EXP STN (5 mi away) | 18.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 9,160 |
| Median year built | 1982 |
| Built before 1980 | 48% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $106,300 |
| Single-family detached | 69% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neshoba County, MS | 24 mi | 2% | 46% |
| Scott County, MS | 24 mi | 37% | 87% |
| Jasper County, MS | 26 mi | 15% | 48% |
| Lauderdale County, MS | 27 mi | 8% | 31% |
| Leake County, MS | 34 mi | 1% | 62% |
| Smith County, MS | 34 mi | 6% | 48% |
| Clarke County, MS | 35 mi | 15% | 46% |
| Kemper County, MS | 37 mi | 27% | 58% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status