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Virginia soil by county

Across Virginia's mapped land, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 6% and a shallow water table limits basements on 25%.

Highest clay shares: Harrisonburg city (58%), Shenandoah County (37%), Montgomery County (33%), Clarke County (31%), Culpeper County (24%). Highest water-table shares: Sussex County (96%), Southampton County (91%), Franklin city (88%), Chesapeake city (88%), Prince George County (86%).

Data as of September 22, 2026 · 133 counties

Accomack County: 0%Albemarle County: 0%Alexandria city: 3%Alleghany County: 1%Amelia County: 11%Amherst County: 0%Appomattox County: 5%Arlington County: 0%Augusta County: 3%Bath County: 0%Bedford County: 1%Bland County: 3%Botetourt County: 10%Bristol city: 0%Brunswick County: 10%Buchanan County: 0%Buckingham County: 4%Buena Vista city: 2%Campbell County: 4%Caroline County: 1%Carroll County: 1%Charles City County: 18%Charlotte County: 7%Charlottesville city: 0%Chesapeake city: 0%Chesterfield County: 11%Clarke County: 31%Colonial Heights city: 3%Covington city: 1%Craig County: 3%Culpeper County: 24%Cumberland County: 17%Danville city: 2%Dickenson County: 0%Dinwiddie County: 4%Emporia city: 3%Essex County: 1%Fairfax city: 2%Fairfax County: 6%Falls Church city: 0%Fauquier County: 6%Floyd County: 1%Fluvanna County: 2%Franklin city: 0%Franklin County: 1%Frederick County: 16%Fredericksburg city: 0%Galax city: 1%Giles County: 10%Gloucester County: 11%Goochland County: 11%Grayson County: 1%Greene County: 1%Greensville County: 8%Halifax County: 14%Hampton city: 11%Hanover County: 3%Harrisonburg city: 58%Henrico County: 7%Henry County: 0%Highland County: 1%Hopewell city: 4%Isle of Wight County: 7%James City County: 8%King and Queen County: 2%King George County: 0%King William County: 2%Lancaster County: 1%Lee County: 13%Lexington city: 6%Loudoun County: 8%Louisa County: 3%Lunenburg County: 8%Lynchburg city: 4%Madison County: 0%Manassas city: 0%Manassas Park city: 0%Martinsville city: 0%Mathews County: 6%Mecklenburg County: 10%Middlesex County: 1%Montgomery County: 33%Nelson County: 1%New Kent County: 3%Newport News city: 8%Norfolk city: 2%Northampton County: 0%Northumberland County: 1%Norton city: 0%Nottoway County: 6%Orange County: 16%Page County: 3%Patrick County: 0%Petersburg city: 2%Pittsylvania County: 5%Poquoson city: 5%Portsmouth city: 0%Powhatan County: 12%Prince Edward County: 7%Prince George County: 8%Prince William County: 9%Pulaski County: 19%Radford city: 19%Rappahannock County: 0%Richmond city: 0%Richmond County: 6%Roanoke city: 1%Roanoke County: 4%Rockbridge County: 10%Rockingham County: 20%Russell County: 13%Salem city: 0%Scott County: 19%Shenandoah County: 37%Smyth County: 11%Southampton County: 0%Spotsylvania County: 1%Stafford County: 2%Staunton city: 8%Suffolk city: 6%Surry County: 2%Sussex County: 1%Tazewell County: 10%Virginia Beach city: 0%Warren County: 2%Washington County: 1%Waynesboro city: 0%Westmoreland County: 8%Williamsburg city: 1%Winchester city: 22%Wise County: 1%Wythe County: 6%York County: 3%
Expansive clay: share of mapped land where shrink-swell clay limits houses without basementsunder 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+
Accomack County: 57%Albemarle County: 8%Alexandria city: 44%Alleghany County: 7%Amelia County: 21%Amherst County: 4%Appomattox County: 14%Arlington County: 3%Augusta County: 11%Bath County: 9%Bedford County: 5%Bland County: 11%Botetourt County: 12%Bristol city: 5%Brunswick County: 32%Buchanan County: 1%Buckingham County: 19%Buena Vista city: 1%Campbell County: 12%Caroline County: 37%Carroll County: 5%Charles City County: 71%Charlotte County: 17%Charlottesville city: 5%Chesapeake city: 88%Chesterfield County: 42%Clarke County: 15%Colonial Heights city: 44%Covington city: 23%Craig County: 15%Culpeper County: 27%Cumberland County: 29%Danville city: 2%Dickenson County: 0%Dinwiddie County: 40%Emporia city: 70%Essex County: 45%Fairfax city: 10%Fairfax County: 33%Falls Church city: 13%Fauquier County: 28%Floyd County: 8%Fluvanna County: 17%Franklin city: 88%Franklin County: 2%Frederick County: 15%Fredericksburg city: 49%Galax city: 9%Giles County: 4%Gloucester County: 61%Goochland County: 23%Grayson County: 6%Greene County: 11%Greensville County: 80%Halifax County: 21%Hampton city: 49%Hanover County: 43%Harrisonburg city: 4%Henrico County: 54%Henry County: 1%Highland County: 9%Hopewell city: 79%Isle of Wight County: 73%James City County: 58%King and Queen County: 77%King George County: 37%King William County: 63%Lancaster County: 18%Lee County: 4%Lexington city: 0%Loudoun County: 31%Louisa County: 17%Lunenburg County: 16%Lynchburg city: 12%Madison County: 14%Manassas city: 26%Manassas Park city: 16%Martinsville city: 0%Mathews County: 50%Mecklenburg County: 18%Middlesex County: 40%Montgomery County: 6%Nelson County: 8%New Kent County: 66%Newport News city: 32%Norfolk city: 28%Northampton County: 34%Northumberland County: 23%Norton city: 0%Nottoway County: 20%Orange County: 16%Page County: 16%Patrick County: 6%Petersburg city: 57%Pittsylvania County: 9%Poquoson city: 54%Portsmouth city: 22%Powhatan County: 23%Prince Edward County: 18%Prince George County: 86%Prince William County: 35%Pulaski County: 6%Radford city: 5%Rappahannock County: 10%Richmond city: 21%Richmond County: 42%Roanoke city: 1%Roanoke County: 2%Rockbridge County: 6%Rockingham County: 14%Russell County: 5%Salem city: 3%Scott County: 7%Shenandoah County: 14%Smyth County: 5%Southampton County: 91%Spotsylvania County: 36%Stafford County: 30%Staunton city: 4%Suffolk city: 79%Surry County: 75%Sussex County: 96%Tazewell County: 3%Virginia Beach city: 65%Warren County: 7%Washington County: 7%Waynesboro city: 9%Westmoreland County: 38%Williamsburg city: 77%Winchester city: 5%Wise County: 2%Wythe County: 8%York County: 59%
High water table: share of mapped land where a shallow water table limits basementsunder 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

Every county in Virginia

Select a column heading to sort.
Accomack County 0% 57% 14% 85 1982
Albemarle County under 1% 8% 5% 16 1992
Alexandria city 3% 44% 0% 199 1974
Alleghany County 1% 7% 0% 28 1969
Amelia County 11% 21% 0% 2 1993
Amherst County under 1% 4% 100% 3 1978
Appomattox County 5% 14% 100% 0 1981
Arlington County 0% 3% 0% 85 1976
Augusta County 3% 11% 81% 21 1989
Bath County under 1% 9% 0% 3 1977
Bedford County 1% 5% 100% 11 1990
Bland County 3% 11% 0% 12 1984
Botetourt County 10% 12% 77% 22 1984
Bristol city 0% 5% 0% 5 1967
Brunswick County 10% 32% 70% 3 1979
Buchanan County 0% 1% 0% 54 1979
Buckingham County 4% 19% 20% 0 1990
Buena Vista city 2% 1% 100% 0 1972
Campbell County 4% 12% 100% 12 1982
Caroline County 1% 37% 0% 1 1993
Carroll County 1% 5% 36% 9 1981
Charles City County 18% 71% 0% 1 1988
Charlotte County 7% 17% 92% 1 1981
Charlottesville city 0% 5% 0% 10 1968
Chesapeake city 0% 88% 1% 294 1989
Chesterfield County 11% 42% 0% 67 1990
Clarke County 31% 15% 98% 2 1980
Colonial Heights city 3% 44% 0% 8 1970
Covington city 1% 23% 0% 60 1951
Craig County 3% 15% 12% 5 1981
Culpeper County 24% 27% 0% 10 1994
Cumberland County 17% 29% 0% 3 1986
Danville city 2% 2% 100% 86 1961
Dickenson County 0% under 1% 0% 5 1982
Dinwiddie County 4% 40% 0% 1 1987
Emporia city 3% 70% 100% 6 1959
Essex County 1% 45% 0% 5 1980
Fairfax County 6% 33% 0% 340 1983
Fairfax city 2% 10% 0% 6 1967
Falls Church city 0% 13% 0% 31 1971
Fauquier County 6% 28% 2% 13 1987
Floyd County 1% 8% 11% 1 1987
Fluvanna County 2% 17% 0% 0 1995
Franklin County 1% 2% 82% 7 1988
Franklin city 0% 88% 100% 3 1967
Frederick County 16% 15% 75% 16 1996
Fredericksburg city 0% 49% 0% 9 1986
Galax city 1% 9% 0% 0 1967
Giles County 10% 4% 0% 21 1972
Gloucester County 11% 61% 61% 36 1987
Goochland County 11% 23% 0% 2 2000
Grayson County 1% 6% 35% 1 1975
Greene County 1% 11% 0% 11 1994
Greensville County 8% 80% 81% 3 1979
Halifax County 14% 21% 100% 9 1974
Hampton city 11% 49% 100% 227 1974
Hanover County 3% 43% 0% 11 1991
Harrisonburg city 58% 4% 100% 11 1987
Henrico County 7% 54% 0% 68 1985
Henry County under 1% 1% 100% 17 1974
Highland County 1% 9% 0% 0 1971
Hopewell city 4% 79% 0% 6 1972
Isle of Wight County 7% 73% 98% 21 1993
James City County 8% 58% 26% 18 1997
King George County 0% 37% 0% 6 2000
King William County 2% 63% 0% 2 1996
King and Queen County 2% 77% 0% 1 1991
Lancaster County 1% 18% 0% 14 1982
Lee County 13% 4% 0% 2 1977
Lexington city 6% under 1% 100% 0 1959
Loudoun County 8% 31% 88% 30 2002
Louisa County 3% 17% 0% 1 1995
Lunenburg County 8% 16% 48% 0 1972
Lynchburg city 4% 12% 100% 17 1971
Madison County under 1% 14% 0% 1 1980
Manassas Park city 0% 16% 0% 1 1997
Manassas city 0% 26% 0% 6 1985
Martinsville city under 1% under 1% 100% 0 1958
Mathews County 6% 50% 97% 25 1976
Mecklenburg County 10% 18% 100% 1 1983
Middlesex County 1% 40% 0% 6 1982
Montgomery County 33% 6% 22% 38 1986
Nelson County 1% 8% 69% 2 1986
New Kent County 3% 66% 0% 2 1997
Newport News city 8% 32% 100% 107 1979
Norfolk city 2% 28% 46% 506 1964
Northampton County 0% 34% 100% 5 1982
Northumberland County 1% 23% 0% 14 1989
Norton city 0% under 1% 0% 12 1973
Nottoway County 6% 20% 0% 1 1973
Orange County 16% 16% 0% 9 1993
Page County 3% 16% 27% 4 1974
Patrick County under 1% 6% 100% 4 1980
Petersburg city 2% 57% 0% 39 1970
Pittsylvania County 5% 9% 100% 5 1981
Poquoson city 5% 54% 100% 45 1977
Portsmouth city under 1% 22% 36% 299 1967
Powhatan County 12% 23% 0% 0 1996
Prince Edward County 7% 18% 13% 7 1980
Prince George County 8% 86% 0% 8 1992
Prince William County 9% 35% 2% 101 1995
Pulaski County 19% 6% 0% 41 1975
Radford city 19% 5% 0% 3 1976
Rappahannock County 0% 10% 0% 4 1982
Richmond County 6% 42% 0% 4 1978
Richmond city 0% 21% 0% 44 1959
Roanoke County 4% 2% 100% 83 1978
Roanoke city 1% 1% 100% 72 1958
Rockbridge County 10% 6% 94% 10 1980
Rockingham County 20% 14% 57% 16 1986
Russell County 13% 5% 0% 7 1980
Salem city under 1% 3% 100% 73 1971
Scott County 19% 7% 0% 5 1975
Shenandoah County 37% 14% 93% 8 1983
Smyth County 11% 5% 0% 37 1973
Southampton County 0% 91% 100% 4 1981
Spotsylvania County 1% 36% 0% 19 1997
Stafford County 2% 30% 0% 51 1997
Staunton city 8% 4% 100% 18 1962
Suffolk city 6% 79% 16% 59 1996
Surry County 2% 75% 66% 4 1983
Sussex County 1% 96% 37% 1 1980
Tazewell County 10% 3% 0% 75 1975
Virginia Beach city 0% 65% 0% 1,791 1984
Warren County 2% 7% 25% 17 1986
Washington County 1% 7% 0% 32 1983
Waynesboro city 0% 9% 100% 11 1969
Westmoreland County 8% 38% 0% 23 1984
Williamsburg city 1% 77% 100% 0 1987
Winchester city 22% 5% 100% 8 1968
Wise County 1% 2% 0% 36 1980
Wythe County 6% 8% 0% 14 1979
York County 3% 59% 93% 12 1992

How these shares are counted

Shares are of mapped land in USDA's soil survey (SSURGO), weighted by each soil's share of every map unit. Drought is the US Drought Monitor's D1-or-worse share on the September 22, 2026 map. Flood losses are FEMA NFIP records since 2016. Sources and methods.