Robertson County, Tennessee
A shallow water table limits basements on 32% of Robertson County's mapped land, a higher share than 51% 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 44 flood losses here since 2016. 30% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1994.
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 Robertson County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 32.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 57.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 4.6% |
| Mapped soil | 304,600 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Sengtown | 22% | n/a |
| Mountview | 12% | n/a |
| Pembroke | 11% | n/a |
| Dickson | 9% | n/a |
| Baxter | 7% | n/a |
| Staser | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas TN147 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 32% of Robertson 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: 38.08 in, 13.92 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 52.00 in.
USDA rates 58% 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 31 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 | 26.6% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 4.4% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
44 flood losses since 2016, $1.5 million paid. The worst year was 2017, with 23. Median water depth outside the building: 30 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 11 |
| 2017 | 23 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 1 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 52.00 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 38.08 in (-13.92) |
| 2025 | 56.68 in (+4.68) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1979: 74.46 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1941: 31.33 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SPRINGFIELD EXP STN (4 mi away) | 15.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 29,824 |
| Median year built | 1994 |
| Built before 1980 | 30% |
| Built 2000 or later | 38% |
| Owner-occupied | 78% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $335,000 |
| Single-family detached | 83% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simpson County, KY | 22 mi | 1% | 11% |
| Cheatham County, TN | 22 mi | under 1% | 19% |
| Logan County, KY | 23 mi | 1% | 24% |
| Sumner County, TN | 24 mi | 18% | 19% |
| Davidson County, TN | 25 mi | 14% | 8% |
| Todd County, KY | 28 mi | under 1% | 29% |
| Montgomery County, TN | 28 mi | 1% | 25% |
| Dickson County, TN | 38 mi | under 1% | 12% |
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