Haywood County, Tennessee
A shallow water table limits basements on 71% of Haywood County's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties and the 7th highest of 95 Tennessee counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 10 flood losses here since 2016. 57% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.
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 Haywood County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 71.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 77.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 383,046 acres |
How we count · survey areas TN075 (2025-08-28)
What the numbers mean here
On 71% of Haywood 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: 42.07 in, 12.32 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 54.39 in.
USDA rates 77% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 39 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 17 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 14.2% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
10 flood losses since 2016, $192,050 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 54.39 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.07 in (-12.32) |
| 2025 | 55.94 in (+1.55) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1957: 73.29 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1941: 32.18 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BROWNSVILLE (1 mi away) | 16.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 8,260 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 57% |
| Built 2000 or later | 18% |
| Owner-occupied | 61% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $152,400 |
| Single-family detached | 74% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crockett County, TN | 18 mi | 0% | 94% |
| Lauderdale County, TN | 23 mi | 15% | 56% |
| Madison County, TN | 25 mi | 0% | 46% |
| Tipton County, TN | 27 mi | 6% | 49% |
| Fayette County, TN | 28 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Hardeman County, TN | 30 mi | 7% | 39% |
| Dyer County, TN | 33 mi | 16% | 79% |
| Gibson County, TN | 34 mi | 0% | 84% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 28, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status