Cumberland County, Virginia
A shallow water table limits basements on 29% of Cumberland County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 17%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 3 flood losses here since 2016. 39% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1986.
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 Cumberland County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 17.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 29.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 75.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 17.1% |
| Mapped soil | 192,400 acres |
How we count · survey areas VA049 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.2% by land area here, and 17% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 17% of the mapped land.
On 29% of Cumberland 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: 34.67 in, 10.48 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.15 in.
USDA rates 75% 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 43 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 36 weeks, most recently on the August 4, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
3 flood losses since 2016, $171,900 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.15 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.67 in (-10.48) |
| 2025 | 45.23 in (+0.08) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 64.09 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 24.40 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at FARMVILLE 2 N (15 mi away) | 11.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 4,736 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 39% |
| Built 2000 or later | 22% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $239,300 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckingham County, VA | 16 mi | 4% | 19% |
| Powhatan County, VA | 19 mi | 12% | 23% |
| Amelia County, VA | 20 mi | 11% | 21% |
| Fluvanna County, VA | 21 mi | 2% | 17% |
| Prince Edward County, VA | 23 mi | 7% | 18% |
| Goochland County, VA | 23 mi | 11% | 23% |
| Nottoway County, VA | 28 mi | 6% | 20% |
| Appomattox County, VA | 32 mi | 5% | 14% |
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