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Colleton County, South Carolina
A shallow water table limits basements on 92% of Colleton County's mapped land, a higher share than 97% of US counties and the 5th highest of 46 South Carolina counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 5%.
94.1% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 452 flood losses here since 2016, 0% 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
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, October 13, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Colleton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 92.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.5% |
| Mapped soil | 683,300 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Lynchburg | 8% | n/a |
| Rains | 8% | n/a |
| Goldsboro | 7% | n/a |
| Pelham | 6% | 100% |
| Argent | 5% | n/a |
| Ocilla | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas SC029 (2025-09-03)
What the numbers mean here
On 92% of Colleton 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: 26.94 in, 22.11 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.05 in.
USDA rates 93% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
94.1% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 52 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 38 weeks, most recently on the September 29, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 94.1% |
| D2 severe or worse | 2.2% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
452 flood losses since 2016, $5.7 million paid. The worst year was 2016, with 310. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 12% slabs, 9% crawl spaces, 79% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 20 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 310 |
| 2017 | 63 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 59 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.05 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 26.94 in (-22.11) |
| 2025 | 43.75 in (-5.30) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1964: 73.95 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1931: 28.15 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at YEMASSEE 1 N (15 mi away) | 16.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 20,083 |
| Median year built | 1987 |
| Built before 1980 | 36% |
| Built 2000 or later | 26% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $162,500 |
| Single-family detached | 56% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester County, SC | 22 mi | 0% | 95% |
| Hampton County, SC | 29 mi | 0% | 99% |
| Bamberg County, SC | 34 mi | 2% | 85% |
| Beaufort County, SC | 34 mi | 32% | 77% |
| Jasper County, SC | 36 mi | 8% | 91% |
| Orangeburg County, SC | 41 mi | 0% | 77% |
| Charleston County, SC | 42 mi | 0% | 81% |
| Allendale County, SC | 42 mi | 0% | 80% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 3, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status