Goochland County, Virginia
A shallow water table limits basements on 23% of Goochland County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 11%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016. 22% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 2000.
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 Goochland County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 11.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 23.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 51.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 11.4% |
| Mapped soil | 188,800 acres |
How we count · survey areas VA075 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 23% of Goochland 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: 34.64 in, 10.80 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.44 in.
USDA rates 51% 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 21 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
2 flood losses since 2016, $0 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.44 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.64 in (-10.80) |
| 2025 | 44.63 in (-0.81) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 64.81 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 24.22 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CROZIER (4 mi away) | 11.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 11,208 |
| Median year built | 2000 |
| Built before 1980 | 22% |
| Built 2000 or later | 50% |
| Owner-occupied | 85% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $500,600 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powhatan County, VA | 12 mi | 12% | 23% |
| Louisa County, VA | 18 mi | 3% | 17% |
| Fluvanna County, VA | 21 mi | 2% | 17% |
| Cumberland County, VA | 23 mi | 17% | 29% |
| Hanover County, VA | 23 mi | 3% | 43% |
| Amelia County, VA | 27 mi | 11% | 21% |
| Richmond city, VA | 27 mi | 0% | 21% |
| Chesterfield County, VA | 30 mi | 11% | 42% |
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