Surry County, Virginia
A shallow water table limits basements on 75% of Surry County's mapped land, a higher share than 85% of US counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2%.
39.5% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 4 flood losses here since 2016. 46% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1983.
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 Surry County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 2.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 75.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 2.0% |
| Mapped soil | 198,500 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Slagle | 11% | n/a |
| Nevarc | 10% | n/a |
| Craven | 9% | n/a |
| Remlik | 9% | n/a |
| Rains | 8% | n/a |
| Emporia | 7% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas VA181 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 75% of Surry 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: 37.21 in, 12.04 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.25 in.
USDA rates 87% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
39.5% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 30 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 17 weeks, most recently on the July 14, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 39.5% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
4 flood losses since 2016, $326,366 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 2.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.25 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 37.21 in (-12.04) |
| 2025 | 54.04 in (+4.79) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2020: 71.51 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 26.52 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WAKEFIELD 1NW (12 mi away) | 14.3 |
Homes
| Housing units | 3,451 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 46% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $238,800 |
| Single-family detached | 80% |
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 | 14 mi | 1% | 77% |
| James City County, VA | 15 mi | 8% | 58% |
| Isle of Wight County, VA | 18 mi | 7% | 73% |
| Charles City County, VA | 19 mi | 18% | 71% |
| Prince George County, VA | 19 mi | 8% | 86% |
| Newport News city, VA | 20 mi | 8% | 32% |
| Sussex County, VA | 25 mi | 1% | 96% |
| Hopewell city, VA | 26 mi | 4% | 79% |
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