HomeVirginiaAugusta County

Augusta County, Virginia

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 3% of Augusta County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 11%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, after 80.6% a week earlier.

FEMA's flood data list 21 flood losses here since 2016. 37% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1989.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

3%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

11%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

37%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Augusta County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)3.1%
High water table (limits basements)10.8%
Septic fields very limited76.9%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)3.3%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)18.5%
Mapped soil631,045 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Frederick15%23%
Berks12%0%
Christian11%n/a
Hazleton9%0%
Lehew7%n/a
Monongahela3%n/a
Staunton city: 8%Waynesboro city: 0%Harrisonburg city: 58%Highland County: 1%Rockingham County: 20%Rockbridge County: 10%Nelson County: 1%Lexington city: 6%Augusta County Staunton cityWaynesboro cityHarrisonburg cityHighlandRockinghamRockbridgeNelsonLexington cityAugusta
Augusta County (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by expansive clay share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas VA015 (2025-09-05)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 29.67 in, 13.76 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 43.43 in.

USDA rates 77% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 3% and a shallow water table on 11% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Augusta County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

Drought

0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 51 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 43 weeks, most recently on the August 11, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse97.5%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

21 flood losses since 2016, $429,052 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 7.

YearFlood losses
20160
20170
20187
20190
20202
20211
20221
20230
20247
20253
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202043.43 in
12 months to August 202629.67 in (-13.76)
202539.94 in (-3.49)
Wettest year since 18952018: 63.58 in
Driest year since 18951930: 17.66 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at STAUNTON WTP (3 mi away)9.7

Homes

Housing units33,111
Median year built1989
Built before 198037%
Built 2000 or later27%
Owner-occupied80%
Median value, owner-occupied$306,100
Single-family detached80%

What repairs cost

Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.

WorkRangeSource
Foundation repair, US $2,200 to $8,200 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Pier-and-beam repair, US $2,000 to $15,000 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Foundation inspection, US $300 to $600 Fixr, January 31, 2025

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Staunton city, VA 4 mi 8% 4%
Waynesboro city, VA 15 mi 0% 9%
Harrisonburg city, VA 23 mi 58% 4%
Highland County, VA 27 mi 1% 9%
Rockingham County, VA 27 mi 20% 14%
Rockbridge County, VA 30 mi 10% 6%
Nelson County, VA 30 mi 1% 8%
Lexington city, VA 32 mi 6% under 1%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 5, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status