HomeSouth CarolinaDorchester County

Dorchester County, South Carolina

A shallow water table limits basements on 95% of Dorchester County's mapped land, a higher share than 98% of US counties and the 4th highest of 46 South Carolina counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.

62% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 250 flood losses here since 2016, 1% of them in buildings with basements. 20% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 2000.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

0%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

95%

high water table: limits basements

62%

in drought, October 13, 2026

20%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Dorchester County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)0.0%
High water table (limits basements)94.6%
Septic fields very limited95.4%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)1.8%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)0.3%
Mapped soil368,000 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: high water table
Mouzon12%n/a
Goldsboro9%n/a
Rains6%n/a
Grifton6%n/a
Lynchburg6%n/a
Brookman6%n/a
Colleton County: 92%Berkeley County: 99%Charleston County: 81%Orangeburg County: 77%Bamberg County: 85%Clarendon County: 78%Calhoun County: 36%Hampton County: 99%Dorchester County ColletonBerkeleyCharlestonOrangeburgBambergClarendonCalhounHamptonDorchester
Dorchester County (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by high water table share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas SC035 (2025-09-03)

What the numbers mean here

On 95% of Dorchester 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: 29.70 in, 19.40 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.10 in.

USDA rates 95% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

Drought

62% 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.

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 worse62%
D2 severe or worse2.8%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

250 flood losses since 2016, $7.6 million paid. The worst year was 2016, with 103. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 1% basements, 41% slabs, 39% crawl spaces, 19% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 14 in.

YearFlood losses
2016103
201721
20189
20191
202017
20214
202217
20234
202470
20254
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202049.10 in
12 months to August 202629.70 in (-19.40)
202543.67 in (-5.43)
Wettest year since 18951964: 71.78 in
Driest year since 18951954: 29.22 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CHARLESTON INTL AP (25 mi away)15.7

Homes

Housing units67,865
Median year built2000
Built before 198020%
Built 2000 or later50%
Owner-occupied76%
Median value, owner-occupied$329,300
Single-family detached67%

What repairs cost

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

WorkRangeSource
Basement waterproofing, US $3,000 to $10,000 Fixr, February 6, 2026
Sump pump installation, US $800 to $2,000 Fixr, January 31, 2025
Crawl space encapsulation, US $2,000 to $8,000 Fixr, August 29, 2025

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Colleton County, SC 22 mi 5% 92%
Berkeley County, SC 28 mi 2% 99%
Charleston County, SC 33 mi 0% 81%
Orangeburg County, SC 34 mi 0% 77%
Bamberg County, SC 38 mi 2% 85%
Clarendon County, SC 42 mi 0% 78%
Calhoun County, SC 46 mi 0% 36%
Hampton County, SC 48 mi 0% 99%

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