Staunton city, Virginia
USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 8% of Staunton city's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 4%, 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 18 flood losses here since 2016. 78% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1962.
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 Staunton city
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.4% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 4.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 46.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 34.7% |
| Urban land, not rated | 21.4% |
| Mapped soil | 12,764 acres |
What the numbers mean here
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 25.40 in, 15.04 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 40.44 in.
With shrink-swell clay on 8% and a shallow water table on 4% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Staunton 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 51 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 51 weeks, most recently on the October 6, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| 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, $363,950 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 14.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 14 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 40.44 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 25.40 in (-15.04) |
| 2025 | 37.89 in (-2.55) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2003: 59.70 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 16.26 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at STAUNTON WTP (1 mi away) | 9.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 12,397 |
| Median year built | 1962 |
| Built before 1980 | 78% |
| Built 2000 or later | 12% |
| Owner-occupied | 61% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $259,200 |
| Single-family detached | 71% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta County, VA | 4 mi | 3% | 11% |
| Waynesboro city, VA | 11 mi | 0% | 9% |
| Harrisonburg city, VA | 22 mi | 58% | 4% |
| Rockingham County, VA | 26 mi | 20% | 14% |
| Nelson County, VA | 27 mi | 1% | 8% |
| Albemarle County, VA | 29 mi | under 1% | 8% |
| Highland County, VA | 31 mi | 1% | 9% |
| Rockbridge County, VA | 32 mi | 10% | 6% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status