Emporia city, Virginia
A shallow water table limits basements on 70% of Emporia city's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3%.
The soil survey maps 38% of the county's land area; these shares describe the mapped part. 100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 6 flood losses here since 2016. 78% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1959.
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 Emporia city
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 3.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 70.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 70.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 3.0% |
| Mapped soil | 1,600 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Craven | 18% | n/a |
| Altavista | 15% | n/a |
| Mattaponi | 12% | n/a |
| Riverview | 12% | n/a |
| Wickham | 12% | n/a |
| Roanoke | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas VA081 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 70% of Emporia city'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: 30.46 in, 17.34 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 47.80 in.
USDA rates 70% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
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 41 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 41 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
6 flood losses since 2016, $28,309 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 47.80 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 30.46 in (-17.34) |
| 2025 | 49.47 in (+1.67) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2020: 64.67 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 28.66 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at EMPORIA 1 WNW (1 mi away) | 12.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,726 |
| Median year built | 1959 |
| Built before 1980 | 78% |
| Built 2000 or later | 6% |
| Owner-occupied | 38% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $148,500 |
| Single-family detached | 76% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greensville County, VA | 2 mi | 8% | 80% |
| Brunswick County, VA | 19 mi | 10% | 32% |
| Northampton County, NC | 20 mi | under 1% | 86% |
| Sussex County, VA | 22 mi | 1% | 96% |
| Southampton County, VA | 24 mi | 0% | 91% |
| Dinwiddie County, VA | 27 mi | 4% | 40% |
| Halifax County, NC | 31 mi | 1% | 73% |
| Franklin city, VA | 33 mi | 0% | 88% |
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