Shelby County, Tennessee
A shallow water table limits basements on 61% of Shelby County's mapped land, a higher share than 75% of US counties and the 9th highest of 95 Tennessee counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 4%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 137 flood losses here since 2016, 2% of them in buildings with basements. 55% 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 Shelby County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 4.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 60.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 79.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 5.4% |
| Mapped soil | 518,233 acres |
How we count · survey areas TN157 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 61% of Shelby 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: 47.52 in, 7.85 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 55.37 in.
USDA rates 79% 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 32 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 | 3.5% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
137 flood losses since 2016, $5.5 million paid. The worst year was 2019, with 38. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 2% basements, 86% slabs, 8% crawl spaces, 3% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 9.5 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 20 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 38 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 22 |
| 2026 to date | 5 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 55.37 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 47.52 in (-7.85) |
| 2025 | 60.22 in (+4.85) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2019: 74.70 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1941: 34.13 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MEMPHIS WFO (6 mi away) | 17 |
Homes
| Housing units | 404,333 |
| Median year built | 1977 |
| Built before 1980 | 55% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 54% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $249,100 |
| Single-family detached | 66% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeSoto County, MS | 22 mi | 3% | 66% |
| Crittenden County, AR | 23 mi | 62% | 77% |
| Tipton County, TN | 23 mi | 6% | 49% |
| Fayette County, TN | 27 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Marshall County, MS | 36 mi | 2% | 56% |
| Tate County, MS | 37 mi | 2% | 59% |
| Mississippi County, AR | 41 mi | 52% | 84% |
| Lauderdale County, TN | 43 mi | 15% | 56% |
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