Buena Vista city, Virginia
USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 2% of Buena Vista city's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 1%, 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 100% a week earlier.
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 67% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1972.
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 Buena Vista city
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 1.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 45.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.3% |
| Urban land, not rated | 13.4% |
| Mapped soil | 4,176 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Vanella | 14% | n/a |
| Tumbling | 13% | n/a |
| Frederick | 10% | 23% |
| Shottower | 7% | n/a |
| Alonzville | 6% | n/a |
| Wolfgap | 6% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 33.63 in, 11.26 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 44.89 in.
With shrink-swell clay on 2% and a shallow water table on 1% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Buena Vista city; 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 51 weeks, most recently on the October 6, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Buena Vista city since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 44.89 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 33.63 in (-11.26) |
| 2025 | 41.94 in (-2.95) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 65.99 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 21.11 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at BUENA VISTA (0 mi away) | 10.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,949 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 67% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 56% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $156,200 |
| Single-family detached | 82% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington city, VA | 6 mi | 6% | under 1% |
| Rockbridge County, VA | 8 mi | 10% | 6% |
| Amherst County, VA | 13 mi | under 1% | 4% |
| Lynchburg city, VA | 24 mi | 4% | 12% |
| Nelson County, VA | 26 mi | 1% | 8% |
| Botetourt County, VA | 27 mi | 10% | 12% |
| Bedford County, VA | 30 mi | 1% | 5% |
| Bath County, VA | 31 mi | under 1% | 9% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status