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Buying land in Cobb County, Georgia: what to check

Cobb County covers 340 square miles of land and 5 of water in Georgia, with about 787,538 residents in 2024 (up 2.8% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 0% of its land as rural and 100% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 1.3% of the county's land. Below: how much of Cobb County floods, what its soils allow, what farmland is worth and how often it's in drought, from free public data with every source linked.

Check a location in Cobb CountySee a sample report

Cobb County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

46%

Above the state's county median (3.9%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

under 1%

Below the state's county median (7.6%)

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

33%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$21,524/acre

Above the state's county median ($4,133)

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

6.1%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

0%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Cobb County

Ordered by what Cobb County's numbers point to. Every parcel differs, so treat this as where to look first.

  1. 1.Put flood checks first in Cobb County

    46% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 11% of its mapped soils flood occasionally or frequently. FEMA rates Cobb County's river-flooding risk relatively high.

    Look up the FEMA flood zone at the pin, not the parcel's address. If any of the land is in zone A or V, price flood insurance before you offer, ask for an elevation certificate, and check whether the access road floods too.

    Guide: Flood zones before buying land

  2. 2.Get a perc test before you close

    USDA rates 33% of Cobb County's mapped soils "very limited" for conventional septic absorption fields and 0% "not limited".

    Without city sewer you need a septic permit from the county or state health department. Make the offer contingent on a passing soil or perc test; mound and aerobic systems can cost several times a conventional one.

    Guide: Perc tests and septic systems

  3. 3.Check slope at the building site

    24% of Cobb County's mapped soils have an average slope over 15% (USDA SSURGO).

    Steep ground means grading, retaining walls, longer driveways and erosion control. Compare the slope at the house site and along the access route, not just the parcel average.

    Guide: Terrain and slope

  4. 4.Check the soils if you plan to farm, graze or garden

    Farm real estate in Cobb County averaged $21,524 an acre including buildings in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and 36% of its mapped soils are prime or of statewide importance.

    Compare the asking price with recent sales of similar tracts, not the county average, which mixes cropland, pasture, timber and homesites. If an ag tax valuation applies, ask what the rollback taxes would be if you change the use.

    Guide: Land due diligence checklist

  5. 5.Confirm access, utilities and zoning

    The 2020 Census classified 0% of Cobb County's land area as rural.

    Rural tracts are often sold without recorded access or a power line nearby. Get the title company to confirm a recorded easement or public road frontage, and ask the electric co-op what a line extension costs.

    Guide: Zoning and deed restrictions

  6. 6.Find out where the water comes from

    At least half of Cobb County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 6.1% of the 262 weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps from 2021 to 2026.

    Ask whether the land has a public water connection, an existing well (and its log and yield), or neighbors' well depths from the state well database. For a new well, check permits and typical depth with the state agency first.

    Guide: Wells, public water and water rights

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Cobb County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
46%, the highest of 159 in Georgia FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
11% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
5 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
0% moderate or worse, 0% severe or worse U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

The floodplain share is the area FEMA's National Risk Index counts as exposed to inland flooding, mostly mapped 100-year flood zones. It says how common flood-prone land is in Cobb County, not whether a given parcel floods. For that, look up the zone at your exact point on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or run the free check.

Soils and terrain

Prime farmland
15% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
21% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
24% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
33% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Cobb County's soil-surveyed land (about 212,510 acres, open water excluded), using each map unit's dominant condition in USDA's SSURGO soil survey. Soils change within a few hundred feet, so the soil at your building site is what matters.

Farms and land use

Farms (2022)
92 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
1.3% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
31 acres (median 19) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$21,524 per acre, 4th highest of 159 in Georgia USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
359 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
1,907 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
955 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
24 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

FEMA's National Risk Index rates each hazard for Cobb County relative to every other U.S. county. Overall risk: Relatively High.

  • LightningVery High
  • HailRelatively High
  • River and inland floodingRelatively High
  • TornadoRelatively High
  • EarthquakeRelatively Moderate
  • Heat waveRelatively Moderate
  • Strong windRelatively Moderate
  • Winter weatherRelatively Moderate
  • HurricaneRelatively Low
  • LandslideRelatively Low
  • WildfireVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Cobb County

How much of Cobb County, GA is in a flood zone?

About 46% of Cobb County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), the highest of 159 counties in Georgia. Whether a given parcel is in a flood zone depends on its exact location, so check the FEMA map at your pin.

How much does land cost per acre in Cobb County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Cobb County at $21,524 an acre, 4th highest of 159 counties in Georgia (the median Georgia county was $4,133). It's a self-reported average across farms, so small homesites and recreational tracts often sell for more per acre.

Will a septic system work on land in Cobb County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 33% of Cobb County's mapped soils very limited for conventional septic absorption fields, usually because of wetness, slow permeability, shallow rock or flooding. A perc or soil test on the parcel decides what system the health department will permit.

Is there good farmland in Cobb County?

15% of Cobb County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 0% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 21% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 92 farms averaging 31 acres.

How often is Cobb County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 6.1% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 1.5%. On 2026-10-27, 0% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Cobb County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Cobb County on the free check. It shows which checks return data at that exact point, and the full report costs $29: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power lines, wildfire and more, each with its source. It is a screen of public maps, not a survey, title search or perc test.

Check the parcel, not just the county

County numbers tell you what to look for. The free check looks at your exact point in Cobb County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Cobb County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Cobb County as a whole; a parcel can be entirely in or out of a flood zone, wetland or poor soil.
  • It doesn't look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits.
  • It isn't a survey, appraisal, elevation certificate, soil or perc test, or Phase I environmental site assessment.
  • It can't see local distribution power lines, driveways, legal access, wells or mineral rights.
  • Maps lag behind the ground, and distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Sources and vintages

Summarized per county by our build script on 2026-10-31. County figures cover the whole county; checks on the report are at your point.