Lunenburg County, Virginia
A shallow water table limits basements on 16% of Lunenburg County's mapped land. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 8%.
47.7% 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. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1972.
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 Lunenburg County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 16.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 47.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.3% |
| Mapped soil | 283,500 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Appling | 26% | 0% |
| Georgeville | 18% | 0% |
| Cecil | 10% | 0% |
| Iredell | 6% | n/a |
| Herndon | 6% | n/a |
| Wedowee | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas VA111 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 16% of Lunenburg 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: 34.23 in, 11.89 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.12 in.
Drought
47.7% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 50 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 19 weeks, most recently on the July 7, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 88.9% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 47.7% |
| D2 severe or worse | 9.7% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Lunenburg County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 46.12 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 34.23 in (-11.89) |
| 2025 | 46.71 in (+0.59) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2003: 68.19 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 26.75 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at KEYSVILLE 2 S (14 mi away) | 12.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,908 |
| Median year built | 1972 |
| Built before 1980 | 62% |
| Built 2000 or later | 16% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $150,100 |
| Single-family detached | 78% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nottoway County, VA | 17 mi | 6% | 20% |
| Mecklenburg County, VA | 19 mi | 10% | 18% |
| Prince Edward County, VA | 22 mi | 7% | 18% |
| Charlotte County, VA | 23 mi | 7% | 17% |
| Brunswick County, VA | 24 mi | 10% | 32% |
| Amelia County, VA | 30 mi | 11% | 21% |
| Dinwiddie County, VA | 35 mi | 4% | 40% |
| Warren County, NC | 39 mi | 5% | 13% |
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