HomeSouth CarolinaOconee County

Oconee County, South Carolina

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on under 1% of Oconee County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 5%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 6.2% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.

FEMA's flood data list 11 flood losses here since 2016. 35% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1990.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

<1%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

5%

high water table: limits basements

6%

in drought, October 13, 2026

35%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Oconee County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)0.1%
High water table (limits basements)5.3%
Septic fields very limited64.2%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)1.7%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)0.1%
Mapped soil435,600 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Cecil26%0%
Pacolet17%0%
Evard15%0%
Hayesville12%0%
Edneytown7%n/a
Hiwassee6%n/a
Stephens County: 0%Pickens County: 0%Rabun County: 0%Franklin County: 0%Habersham County: 0%Hart County: 0%Anderson County: 0%Macon County: 0%Oconee County StephensPickensRabunFranklinHabershamHartAndersonMaconOconee
Oconee 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 SC602 (2025-08-29), SC604 (2025-08-29)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 40.98 in, 20.29 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 61.27 in.

USDA rates 64% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on under 1% and a shallow water table on 5% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Oconee County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

Drought

6.2% 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 24 weeks, most recently on the June 16, 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 worse6.2%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

11 flood losses since 2016, $98,731 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 3.

YearFlood losses
20161
20170
20180
20192
20203
20211
20220
20230
20243
20251
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202061.27 in
12 months to August 202640.98 in (-20.29)
202549.10 in (-12.17)
Wettest year since 18952013: 90.77 in
Driest year since 18952016: 35.29 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WALHALLA (1 mi away)18.8

Homes

Housing units42,100
Median year built1990
Built before 198035%
Built 2000 or later32%
Owner-occupied76%
Median value, owner-occupied$237,100
Single-family detached69%

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
Stephens County, GA 19 mi 0% 9%
Pickens County, SC 21 mi under 1% 7%
Rabun County, GA 22 mi 0% 4%
Franklin County, GA 28 mi under 1% 10%
Habersham County, GA 28 mi 0% 8%
Hart County, GA 28 mi 0% 6%
Anderson County, SC 29 mi under 1% 11%
Macon County, NC 35 mi 0% 3%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 29, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status