HomeSouth CarolinaMarlboro County

Marlboro County, South Carolina

A shallow water table limits basements on 83% of Marlboro County's mapped land, a higher share than 90% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.

47.7% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 21 flood losses here since 2016. 56% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

0%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

83%

high water table: limits basements

48%

in drought, October 13, 2026

56%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Marlboro County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)0.0%
High water table (limits basements)82.6%
Septic fields very limited80.2%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)2.3%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)0.0%
Mapped soil310,400 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: high water table
Coxville10%n/a
Noboco7%n/a
Norfolk7%63%
Chastain5%n/a
Smithboro5%n/a
Chenneby4%n/a
Scotland County: 69%Dillon County: 88%Darlington County: 83%Chesterfield County: 43%Richmond County: 23%Robeson County: 85%Anson County: 37%Hoke County: 45%Marlboro County ScotlandDillonDarlingtonChesterfieldRichmondRobesonAnsonHokeMarlboro
Marlboro 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 SC069 (2025-09-02)

What the numbers mean here

On 83% of Marlboro 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: 32.32 in, 13.93 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.25 in.

USDA rates 80% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

Drought

47.7% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 42 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 worse47.7%
D2 severe or worse34.3%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

21 flood losses since 2016, $413,016 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 13.

YearFlood losses
20161
20171
201813
20190
20201
20210
20220
20230
20245
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202046.25 in
12 months to August 202632.32 in (-13.93)
202538.36 in (-7.89)
Wettest year since 18951964: 64.09 in
Driest year since 18952001: 31.17 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CHERAW (13 mi away)13.8

Homes

Housing units12,077
Median year built1977
Built before 198056%
Built 2000 or later12%
Owner-occupied63%
Median value, owner-occupied$82,000
Single-family detached62%

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
Scotland County, NC 20 mi 0% 69%
Dillon County, SC 23 mi 0% 88%
Darlington County, SC 25 mi 0% 83%
Chesterfield County, SC 27 mi 0% 43%
Richmond County, NC 28 mi 5% 23%
Robeson County, NC 33 mi under 1% 85%
Anson County, NC 36 mi 15% 37%
Hoke County, NC 38 mi 0% 45%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status