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Salem city, Virginia

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on under 1% of Salem city's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 3%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, after 100% a week earlier.

FEMA's flood data list 73 flood losses here since 2016, 76% of them in buildings with basements. 70% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1971.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

<1%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

3%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

70%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Salem city

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)0.4%
High water table (limits basements)2.5%
Septic fields very limited59.8%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)2.2%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)0.4%
Urban land, not rated20.9%
Mapped soil9,200 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Shottower15%n/a
Chiswell12%n/a
Tumbling8%n/a
Litz7%n/a
Speedwell7%n/a
Sequoia7%n/a
Roanoke city: 1%Roanoke County: 4%Craig County: 3%Montgomery County: 33%Franklin County: 1%Botetourt County: 10%Bedford County: 1%Floyd County: 1%Salem city Roanoke cityRoanokeCraigMontgomeryFranklinBotetourtBedfordFloydSalem city
Salem city (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by expansive clay share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas VA161 (2025-09-05)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 29.07 in, 14.77 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 43.84 in.

USDA rates 60% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on under 1% and a shallow water table on 3% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Salem city; 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 50 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 48 weeks, most recently on the October 6, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse100%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

73 flood losses since 2016, $2.5 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 32. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 76% basements, 3% slabs, 15% crawl spaces, 6% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 10 in.

YearFlood losses
20162
20172
201832
20190
202025
20210
20220
20230
20242
202510
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202043.84 in
12 months to August 202629.07 in (-14.77)
202539.39 in (-4.45)
Wettest year since 18952020: 64.51 in
Driest year since 18951930: 21.30 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at ROANOKE RGNL AP (5 mi away)10.9

Homes

Housing units11,112
Median year built1971
Built before 198070%
Built 2000 or later10%
Owner-occupied63%
Median value, owner-occupied$258,600
Single-family detached70%

What repairs cost

Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.

WorkRangeSource
Foundation repair, US $2,200 to $8,200 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Pier-and-beam repair, US $2,000 to $15,000 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Foundation inspection, US $300 to $600 Fixr, January 31, 2025

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Roanoke city, VA 5 mi 1% 1%
Roanoke County, VA 8 mi 4% 2%
Craig County, VA 17 mi 3% 15%
Montgomery County, VA 20 mi 33% 6%
Franklin County, VA 23 mi 1% 2%
Botetourt County, VA 24 mi 10% 12%
Bedford County, VA 29 mi 1% 5%
Floyd County, VA 29 mi 1% 8%

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