Frost Line Depth in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia
- 4 verified codes nearby
- Checked Oct 2026
No official local value
No official frost line depth is published for Athens-Clarke County.
Nearby official codes require 5–12 in (4 verified codes).
Source and how we checked
We searched this place’s own code and website and found no published frost line depth.
Climate: 46 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Athens Ben Epps Airport, 2.4 mi).
Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction
Does Athens-Clarke County have an official frost line depth?
No adopted frost line depth found for Athens-Clarke County in its official documents (checked Oct 2026). The nearest official values, from codes we verified, are 5 to 12 in. Use the deepest of them until the building department confirms Athens-Clarke County’s own number.
What frost line depth does Athens-Clarke County use for footings under Table R301.2(1)? Is it 12 in, like Stonecrest?
How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Athens-Clarke County?
Drawn with the deepest nearby official value (12 in). Confirm Athens-Clarke County’s own depth before you dig.
House or garage footing in Athens-Clarke County: dig at least 12 in (30 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).
| Project | Depth | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| House or garage footing | 12 in | Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4) |
| Deck footing (attached) | 12 in | Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3) |
| Water service line | 18 in | 6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5) |
| Fence post bottom | 12 in | No code rule; common practice is below the frost line |
Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.
How cold does it get in Athens-Clarke County?
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- F
- M
- A
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- D
Athens-Clarke County never averages a low below freezing. 46 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 33.8 °F.
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Athens Ben Epps Airport station, 2.4 mi away, elevation 785 ft.
Monthly temperatures as a table
| °F | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 33.8 | 36.9 | 42.9 | 49.8 | 58.6 | 66.5 | 70 | 69.2 | 63.3 | 51.9 | 41.6 | 36.3 |
| High | 54.7 | 58.9 | 66.8 | 74.8 | 82.3 | 88.9 | 92 | 90.4 | 84.6 | 75.1 | 64.9 | 56.8 |
Athens-Clarke County has fewer freezing nights than 48 of the 74 other Georgia places we track. The Georgia median is 51. Coldest: Habersham County; mildest: Glynn County.
What frost line depth do towns near Athens-Clarke County use?
4 official codes near Athens-Clarke County are verified; each links to its document.
| Place | Verified frost line | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Stonecrest | 12 in | 48 mi away |
| Dunwoody | 12 in | 54 mi away |
| Brookhaven | 12 in | 56 mi away |
| Fayette County | 5 in | 75 mi away |
How likely is the soil in Athens-Clarke County to heave?
USDA rates the sampled soil around Athens-Clarke County as 100% none for frost action (main soils: Cecil, Pacolet, Davidson).
USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.
Athens-Clarke County at a glance
- Frost line depth
- No official local value
- County
- Clarke County
- Population (2023 est.)
- 128,628
- Mean annual temperature
- 63 °F
- ZIP codes (9)
- 30601 · 30602 · 30605 · 30606 · 30607 · 30609 · 30622 · 30646 · 30683