Halifax County, Virginia
A shallow water table limits basements on 21% of Halifax County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 14%.
100% 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. 59% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1974.
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 Halifax County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 13.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 20.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 63.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.4% |
| Mapped soil | 527,300 acres |
How we count · survey areas VA083 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 21% of Halifax 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: 28.40 in, 17.27 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.67 in.
USDA rates 63% 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 52 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 46 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 | 63.1% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
9 flood losses since 2016, $1.2 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 5.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.67 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 28.40 in (-17.27) |
| 2025 | 41.23 in (-4.44) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 67.18 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 28.20 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at S BOSTON (6 mi away) | 11.8 |
Homes
| Housing units | 17,443 |
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Built before 1980 | 59% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $155,700 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte County, VA | 23 mi | 7% | 17% |
| Pittsylvania County, VA | 26 mi | 5% | 9% |
| Person County, NC | 26 mi | 18% | 29% |
| Danville city, VA | 29 mi | 2% | 2% |
| Campbell County, VA | 32 mi | 4% | 12% |
| Mecklenburg County, VA | 32 mi | 10% | 18% |
| Caswell County, NC | 34 mi | 35% | 21% |
| Granville County, NC | 36 mi | 26% | 35% |
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