Highland County, Virginia
USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 1% of Highland County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 9%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 60% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1971.
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 Highland County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 9.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.3% |
| Mapped soil | 266,100 acres |
How we count · survey areas VA091 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 36.15 in, 10.94 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 47.09 in.
USDA rates 93% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
With shrink-swell clay on 1% and a shallow water table on 9% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Highland County; conditions still vary lot by lot.
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 45 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 21 weeks, most recently on the June 23, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 5.3% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Highland County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 47.09 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.15 in (-10.94) |
| 2025 | 43.76 in (-3.33) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1996: 65.03 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 20.48 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MUSTOE 1 SW (6 mi away) | 10 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,864 |
| Median year built | 1971 |
| Built before 1980 | 60% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 89% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $200,000 |
| Single-family detached | 81% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath County, VA | 22 mi | under 1% | 9% |
| Pocahontas County, WV | 24 mi | 0% | 7% |
| Pendleton County, WV | 24 mi | 6% | 10% |
| Augusta County, VA | 27 mi | 3% | 11% |
| Staunton city, VA | 31 mi | 8% | 4% |
| Randolph County, WV | 33 mi | 0% | 32% |
| Harrisonburg city, VA | 38 mi | 58% | 4% |
| Rockingham County, VA | 38 mi | 20% | 14% |
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