HomeNorth CarolinaMacon County

Macon County, North Carolina

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 0% of Macon County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 3%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 99.8% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.

FEMA's flood data list 29 flood losses here since 2016, 11% of them in buildings with basements. 36% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1987.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

0%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

3%

high water table: limits basements

100%

in drought, October 13, 2026

36%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Macon County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)0.0%
High water table (limits basements)2.8%
Septic fields very limited93.6%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)1.3%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)0.0%
Mapped soil332,467 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Evard16%0%
Edneyville10%n/a
Cowee10%n/a
Saunook7%n/a
Plott7%n/a
Chestnut6%n/a
Rabun County: 0%Jackson County: 0%Clay County: 0%Towns County: 0%Graham County: 0%Swain County: 0%Transylvania County: 0%Oconee County: 0%Macon County RabunJacksonClayTownsGrahamSwainTransylvaniaOconeeMacon
Macon County (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by expansive clay share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas NC113 (2025-08-27)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 41.52 in, 23.94 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 65.46 in.

USDA rates 94% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 0% and a shallow water table on 3% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Macon County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

Drought

99.8% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 44 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 37 weeks, most recently on the September 22, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse100%
D1 moderate drought or worse99.8%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

29 flood losses since 2016, $931,219 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 14. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 11% basements, 7% slabs, 54% crawl spaces, 29% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 22 in.

YearFlood losses
20160
20170
20182
20190
20209
20212
20220
20232
202414
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202065.46 in
12 months to August 202641.52 in (-23.94)
202549.40 in (-16.06)
Wettest year since 18952020: 89.23 in
Driest year since 18951925: 43.65 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at COWEETA EXP STN (6 mi away)22

Homes

Housing units27,216
Median year built1987
Built before 198036%
Built 2000 or later25%
Owner-occupied78%
Median value, owner-occupied$251,900
Single-family detached77%

What repairs cost

Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.

WorkRangeSource
Foundation repair, US $2,200 to $8,200 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Pier-and-beam repair, US $2,000 to $15,000 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Foundation inspection, US $300 to $600 Fixr, January 31, 2025

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Rabun County, GA 19 mi 0% 4%
Jackson County, NC 19 mi 0% 3%
Clay County, NC 20 mi 0% 4%
Towns County, GA 25 mi 0% 6%
Graham County, NC 27 mi 0% 4%
Swain County, NC 29 mi 0% 1%
Transylvania County, NC 34 mi 0% 6%
Oconee County, SC 35 mi under 1% 5%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 27, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status