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Fredericksburg city, Virginia
A shallow water table limits basements on 49% of Fredericksburg city's mapped land, a higher share than 65% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
The soil survey maps 58% of the county's land area; these shares describe the mapped part. None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 9 flood losses here since 2016. 45% 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 Fredericksburg city
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 48.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 49.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Urban land, not rated | 27.2% |
| Mapped soil | 3,900 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Kempsville | 6% | n/a |
| Wickham | 3% | n/a |
| Faceville | 2% | n/a |
| Varina | 2% | n/a |
| Toccoa | 1% | n/a |
| Cartecay | 1% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas VA630 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 49% of Fredericksburg 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: 30.66 in, 12.49 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 43.15 in.
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 42 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 41 weeks, most recently on the July 28, 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
9 flood losses since 2016, $144,284 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 5.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 43.15 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 30.66 in (-12.49) |
| 2025 | 38.17 in (-4.98) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1972: 60.02 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 21.92 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at FREDERICKSBURG SEWAGE (2 mi away) | 11.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 12,419 |
| Median year built | 1986 |
| Built before 1980 | 45% |
| Built 2000 or later | 38% |
| Owner-occupied | 40% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $483,700 |
| Single-family detached | 40% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stafford County, VA | 9 mi | 2% | 30% |
| Spotsylvania County, VA | 12 mi | 1% | 36% |
| King George County, VA | 18 mi | 0% | 37% |
| Caroline County, VA | 20 mi | 1% | 37% |
| Prince William County, VA | 28 mi | 9% | 35% |
| Culpeper County, VA | 29 mi | 24% | 27% |
| Charles County, MD | 29 mi | 4% | 61% |
| Orange County, VA | 29 mi | 16% | 16% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status