James City County, Virginia
A shallow water table limits basements on 58% of James City County's mapped land, a higher share than 73% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 8%.
None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 18 flood losses here since 2016. 18% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1997.
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 James City County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 58.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 63.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 9.4% |
| Mapped soil | 108,464 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Emporia | 25% | n/a |
| Craven | 7% | n/a |
| Uchee | 7% | n/a |
| Slagle | 6% | n/a |
| Johnston | 5% | n/a |
| Kempsville | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas VA695 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 58% of James City 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: 40.67 in, 8.12 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.79 in.
USDA rates 63% 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 23 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 16 weeks, most recently on the July 7, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 70.3% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
18 flood losses since 2016, $97,865 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 5.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 48.79 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 40.67 in (-8.12) |
| 2025 | 52.12 in (+3.33) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2020: 69.83 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 25.65 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WILLIAMSBURG 2 N (4 mi away) | 13.5 |
Homes
| Housing units | 34,726 |
| Median year built | 1997 |
| Built before 1980 | 18% |
| Built 2000 or later | 44% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $447,200 |
| Single-family detached | 66% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williamsburg city, VA | 5 mi | 1% | 77% |
| Gloucester County, VA | 15 mi | 11% | 61% |
| Surry County, VA | 15 mi | 2% | 75% |
| Charles City County, VA | 15 mi | 18% | 71% |
| New Kent County, VA | 18 mi | 3% | 66% |
| York County, VA | 22 mi | 3% | 59% |
| Newport News city, VA | 22 mi | 8% | 32% |
| Middlesex County, VA | 24 mi | 1% | 40% |
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