Tipton County, Tennessee
A shallow water table limits basements on 49% of Tipton County's mapped land, a higher share than 66% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 54 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 30% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1993.
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 Tipton County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 6.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 49.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 62.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.0% |
| Mapped soil | 300,542 acres |
How we count · survey areas TN167 (2025-08-29)
What the numbers mean here
On 49% of Tipton 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: 44.10 in, 10.24 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 54.34 in.
USDA rates 62% 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 36 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 | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 87.3% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
54 flood losses since 2016, $2.0 million paid. The worst year was 2019, with 21. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 91% slabs, 3% crawl spaces, 6% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 8.5 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 21 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 11 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 54.34 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 44.10 in (-10.24) |
| 2025 | 58.40 in (+4.06) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1957: 71.58 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1941: 31.33 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at COVINGTON 3 SW (4 mi away) | 17.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 24,417 |
| Median year built | 1993 |
| Built before 1980 | 30% |
| Built 2000 or later | 35% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $240,600 |
| Single-family detached | 80% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale County, TN | 19 mi | 15% | 56% |
| Shelby County, TN | 23 mi | 4% | 61% |
| Mississippi County, AR | 25 mi | 52% | 84% |
| Haywood County, TN | 27 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Fayette County, TN | 28 mi | 0% | 71% |
| Crittenden County, AR | 38 mi | 62% | 77% |
| Crockett County, TN | 41 mi | 0% | 94% |
| Dyer County, TN | 43 mi | 16% | 79% |
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