Essex County, Virginia
A shallow water table limits basements on 45% of Essex County's mapped land, a higher share than 62% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 5 flood losses here since 2016. 51% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1980.
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 Essex County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 44.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 90.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.3% |
| Mapped soil | 177,100 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Rumford | 21% | n/a |
| Emporia | 18% | n/a |
| Suffolk | 11% | n/a |
| Kempsville | 9% | n/a |
| Bibb | 8% | n/a |
| Slagle | 7% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas VA057 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 45% of Essex 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: 37.76 in, 8.04 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.80 in.
USDA rates 91% 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 36 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 25 weeks, most recently on the July 21, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 78.2% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
5 flood losses since 2016, $7,035 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 3.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.80 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.76 in (-8.04) |
| 2025 | 45.90 in (+0.10) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 66.29 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 23.21 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WARSAW 2 NW (9 mi away) | 12.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,811 |
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Built before 1980 | 51% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $238,100 |
| Single-family detached | 74% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond County, VA | 11 mi | 6% | 42% |
| Westmoreland County, VA | 14 mi | 8% | 38% |
| King and Queen County, VA | 15 mi | 2% | 77% |
| King William County, VA | 18 mi | 2% | 63% |
| Caroline County, VA | 24 mi | 1% | 37% |
| King George County, VA | 27 mi | 0% | 37% |
| St. Mary's County, MD | 29 mi | 1% | 47% |
| New Kent County, VA | 30 mi | 3% | 66% |
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