Alachua County, FL Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Alachua County, FL

Low

Soil across 96% of Alachua County, FL comes back "Low" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 1.15% linear extensibility. That's as favorable a county-level reading as this dataset produces - standard foundation practice, pending one lot's own geotechnical report.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Alachua County, FL - never a reading for one specific parcel. A local geotechnical report, typically $1,000-$5,000 (around $2,700 typical), is the only way to know what one lot in Alachua County will actually do.

Alachua County: the real numbers

Alachua County's soil reading points toward standard foundation practice as the likely outcome, not the exception. A geotechnical report runs $1,000-$5,000, typically around $2,700. Foundation repair, if a specific lot turns out to differ from the county average, runs $5,000-$15,000.

Alachua County's rank among Florida counties

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Alachua County, FL ranks 2,798 most-constrained nationally, and 24 of 66 within Florida. Alachua County covers 876 square miles and counts 291,782 residents.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Attala County, MS and Fayette County, IN are worth a look for comparison.

How this reading is built, and its real limits · Moisture management: the cheap fix that works on any soil

Elsewhere in Florida

Every county in Florida is on this site, including Baker County, FL and Hernando County, FL. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.