HomeVirginiaBedford County

Bedford County, Virginia

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 1% of Bedford County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 5%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. 100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.

FEMA's flood data list 11 flood losses here since 2016. 33% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1990.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

1%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

5%

high water table: limits basements

100%

in drought, October 13, 2026

33%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Bedford County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)1.1%
High water table (limits basements)5.3%
Septic fields very limited65.6%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)2.2%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)1.1%
Mapped soil477,055 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Clifford22%0%
Hayesville19%0%
Edneytown13%n/a
Poplar Forest11%n/a
Braddock4%n/a
Spriggs3%n/a
Lynchburg city: 4%Botetourt County: 10%Roanoke city: 1%Campbell County: 4%Salem city: 0%Franklin County: 1%Amherst County: 0%Buena Vista city: 2%Bedford County Lynchburg cityBotetourtRoanoke cityCampbellSalem cityFranklinAmherstBuena Vista cityBedford
Bedford 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 VA019 (2025-09-05), VA515 (2025-09-08), VA850 (2025-09-05)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 28.98 in, 17.37 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.35 in.

USDA rates 66% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 1% and a shallow water table on 5% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Bedford County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

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 48 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse100%
D1 moderate drought or worse100%
D2 severe or worse7.6%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

11 flood losses since 2016, $105,960 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 7.

YearFlood losses
20161
20170
20181
20192
20207
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202046.35 in
12 months to August 202628.98 in (-17.37)
202539.98 in (-6.37)
Wettest year since 18952018: 71.55 in
Driest year since 18951930: 24.31 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HUDDLESTON 4 SW (13 mi away)10.8

Homes

Housing units37,484
Median year built1990
Built before 198033%
Built 2000 or later29%
Owner-occupied85%
Median value, owner-occupied$297,400
Single-family detached78%

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
Lynchburg city, VA 19 mi 4% 12%
Botetourt County, VA 23 mi 10% 12%
Roanoke city, VA 24 mi 1% 1%
Campbell County, VA 25 mi 4% 12%
Salem city, VA 29 mi under 1% 3%
Franklin County, VA 30 mi 1% 2%
Amherst County, VA 30 mi under 1% 4%
Buena Vista city, VA 30 mi 2% 1%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status