HomeVirginiaCharles City County
Charles City County, Virginia
A shallow water table limits basements on 71% of Charles City County's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 18%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses here since 2016. 38% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1988.
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 Charles City County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 17.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 70.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 80.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 17.9% |
| Mapped soil | 130,800 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Chickahominy | 7% | n/a |
| Craven | 7% | n/a |
| Emporia | 6% | n/a |
| Nevarc | 6% | n/a |
| Newflat | 5% | n/a |
| Bibb | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas VA036 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.2% by land area here, and 18% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 18% of the mapped land.
On 71% of Charles City 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: 41.25 in, 6.75 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.00 in.
USDA rates 80% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
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 21 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 13 weeks, most recently on the July 7, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 12.5% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
1 flood losses since 2016, $8,692 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.00 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 41.25 in (-6.75) |
| 2025 | 52.77 in (+4.77) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2020: 69.58 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 25.53 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HOPEWELL (13 mi away) | 14.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,270 |
| Median year built | 1988 |
| Built before 1980 | 38% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 86% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $241,400 |
| Single-family detached | 87% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Kent County, VA | 11 mi | 3% | 66% |
| Hopewell city, VA | 14 mi | 4% | 79% |
| Henrico County, VA | 14 mi | 7% | 54% |
| Prince George County, VA | 15 mi | 8% | 86% |
| James City County, VA | 15 mi | 8% | 58% |
| Surry County, VA | 19 mi | 2% | 75% |
| Williamsburg city, VA | 20 mi | 1% | 77% |
| Colonial Heights city, VA | 20 mi | 3% | 44% |
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