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Caswell County, North Carolina
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 35% of Caswell County's mapped land, a higher share than 84% of US counties and the 3rd highest of 100 North Carolina counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 21%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 48% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1981.
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 Caswell County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 35.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 20.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 79.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 31.9% |
| Mapped soil | 274,183 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Fairview | 17% | 0% |
| Rasalo | 10% | n/a |
| Enon | 9% | n/a |
| Cullen | 6% | n/a |
| Louisburg | 5% | n/a |
| Frogsboro | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas NC033 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.4% by land area here, and 32% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 35% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 35% of Caswell County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 21% of Caswell 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: 26.07 in, 19.74 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.81 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 52 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 50 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 | 75.8% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Caswell County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.81 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 26.07 in (-19.74) |
| 2025 | 42.42 in (-3.39) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 69.78 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1941: 27.19 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at REIDSVILLE 2 NW (20 mi away) | 13.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 10,521 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 48% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $164,500 |
| Single-family detached | 73% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danville city, VA | 13 mi | 2% | 2% |
| Person County, NC | 20 mi | 18% | 29% |
| Alamance County, NC | 25 mi | 20% | 24% |
| Rockingham County, NC | 25 mi | 2% | 9% |
| Orange County, NC | 26 mi | 16% | 20% |
| Pittsylvania County, VA | 30 mi | 5% | 9% |
| Guilford County, NC | 33 mi | 35% | 9% |
| Halifax County, VA | 34 mi | 14% | 21% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status