Sinkhole risk in Pittsylvania County, VA: Mostly deep or small

Mostly deep or small

Some soluble rock, mostly deeply buried or in a small share of the county.

On soluble rock: 2%
At or near the surface: 2%
Buried under cover: 0%

The next step for one property

Sinkholes are uncommon here; watch for new depressions after heavy rain or leaking pipes.

That works out to roughly 17 of Pittsylvania County's 969 square miles on soluble rock, 17 of them with the rock at or near the surface. With about 59,410 residents (61 per square mile), homes are spread across towns and farmland, and a mapped unit may or may not reach the developed parts. The figures come from 275 map points about 1.9 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 Pittsylvania County

The nearest county rated sinkhole country is Roanoke city, VA, about 44 miles northwest. 2 of the 6 closest counties land in the same band; the ground changes quickly around here.

Danville city, VA 16 mi south · 1% at surface
Halifax County, VA 26 mi east · under 1% at surface
Martinsville city, VA 27 mi west · 0% at surface
Franklin County, VA 29 mi northwest · under 1% at surface
Caswell County, NC 30 mi south · 0% at surface
Campbell County, VA 32 mi northeast · 2% at surface

Which formation it is

The largest mapped soluble unit here is the Newark Supergroup; Conglomerate, mixed clasts (conglomerate), Triassic in age, covering about 2% of the county.

Against the rest of Virginia

Pittsylvania County ranks 79 of 133 in Virginia for soluble rock at the surface, and sits above 57% of US counties on that measure.