HomeVirginiaWestmoreland County
Westmoreland County, Virginia
A shallow water table limits basements on 38% of Westmoreland County's mapped land, a higher share than 57% 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 23 flood losses here since 2016. 45% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1984.
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 Westmoreland County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 8.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 38.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 77.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 8.2% |
| Mapped soil | 158,600 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Rumford | 24% | n/a |
| Suffolk | 10% | n/a |
| Kempsville | 9% | n/a |
| Tetotum | 7% | n/a |
| Lumbee | 6% | n/a |
| Leaf | 5% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas VA193 (2025-09-08)
What the numbers mean here
On 38% of Westmoreland 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: 36.20 in, 8.97 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.17 in.
USDA rates 78% 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 36 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 31 weeks, most recently on the August 4, 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
23 flood losses since 2016, $267,524 paid. The worst year was 2021, with 13.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 45.17 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.20 in (-8.97) |
| 2025 | 43.76 in (-1.41) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2018: 65.94 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1930: 23.03 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WARSAW 2 NW (9 mi away) | 12.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 11,448 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 45% |
| Built 2000 or later | 34% |
| Owner-occupied | 80% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $269,600 |
| Single-family detached | 88% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond County, VA | 12 mi | 6% | 42% |
| Essex County, VA | 14 mi | 1% | 45% |
| St. Mary's County, MD | 17 mi | 1% | 47% |
| King George County, VA | 23 mi | 0% | 37% |
| King and Queen County, VA | 28 mi | 2% | 77% |
| Charles County, MD | 28 mi | 4% | 61% |
| Northumberland County, VA | 28 mi | 1% | 23% |
| Caroline County, VA | 30 mi | 1% | 37% |
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