Madison County, Tennessee
A shallow water table limits basements on 46% of Madison County's mapped land, a higher share than 63% of US 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 17 flood losses here since 2016. 41% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.
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 Madison County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 45.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 81.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.6% |
| Mapped soil | 356,566 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington | 19% | n/a |
| Feliciana | 17% | n/a |
| Smithdale | 16% | 0% |
| Falaya | 9% | n/a |
| Waverly | 6% | n/a |
| Collins | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas TN113 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 46% of Madison 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: 42.31 in, 13.18 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 55.49 in.
USDA rates 81% 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 33 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 18 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 | 61.4% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
17 flood losses since 2016, $746,874 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 4.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 55.49 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 42.31 in (-13.18) |
| 2025 | 50.90 in (-4.59) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 77.49 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1941: 33.67 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at JACKSON EXP STN (1 mi away) | 17 |
Homes
| Housing units | 44,091 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 41% |
| Built 2000 or later | 24% |
| Owner-occupied | 62% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $211,800 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester County, TN | 18 mi | 4% | 45% |
| Crockett County, TN | 22 mi | 0% | 94% |
| Henderson County, TN | 25 mi | 1% | 40% |
| Haywood County, TN | 25 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Gibson County, TN | 27 mi | 0% | 84% |
| Hardeman County, TN | 28 mi | 7% | 39% |
| Carroll County, TN | 33 mi | 0% | 50% |
| McNairy County, TN | 33 mi | 5% | 38% |
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