Sinkhole risk in Emporia city, VA: No soluble rock mapped

What this means before you buy

No soluble bedrock is mapped here, so natural sinkholes are unlikely. Collapses from broken pipes or old mines are a separate risk.

Across 7 square miles, under one square mile of Emporia city maps onto soluble rock. With about 5,402 residents (815 per square mile), most of the county is built up, so a mapped unit is likely to sit under somebody's street. The figures come from 270 map points about 0.2 miles apart, so a pocket smaller than that can be missed or overstated.

Worth reading for this county: how these percentages are measured, and the warning signs that apply anywhere.

Counties around Emporia city

The nearest county rated sinkhole country is Hertford County, NC, about 38 miles southeast, close enough that the same rock may run under the county line. 2 of the 6 closest counties land in the same band; the ground changes quickly around here.

• Greensville County, VA 2 mi southwest · 2% at surface
• Brunswick County, VA 19 mi west · 0% at surface
• Northampton County, NC 20 mi south · 34% at surface
• Sussex County, VA 22 mi northeast · 14% at surface
• Southampton County, VA 24 mi east · 21% at surface
• Dinwiddie County, VA 27 mi north · under 1% at surface

Against the rest of Virginia

Emporia city ranks 121 of 133 in Virginia for soluble rock at the surface, and sits above 0% of US counties on that measure.

• Lexington city 100%
• Salem city 100%
• Roanoke city 98%
• Winchester city 90%
• Bristol city 89%