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Buying land in Chatham County, North Carolina: what to check

Chatham County covers 682 square miles of land and 27 of water in North Carolina, with about 83,874 residents in 2024 (up 10.0% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 97% of its land as rural and 36% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 26% of the county's land. Below: how much of Chatham County floods, what its soils allow, what farmland is worth and how often it's in drought, from free public data with every source linked.

Check a location in Chatham CountySee a sample report

Chatham County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

5.3%

Below the state's county median (7.2%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

1.7%

Below the state's county median (3.2%)

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

57%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$7,656/acre

Above the state's county median ($5,848)

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

11%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

97%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Chatham County

Ordered by what Chatham County's numbers point to. Every parcel differs, so treat this as where to look first.

  1. 1.Get a perc test before you close

    USDA rates 57% of Chatham County's mapped soils "very limited" for conventional septic absorption fields and 0% "not limited".

    Without city sewer you need a septic permit from the county or state health department. Make the offer contingent on a passing soil or perc test; mound and aerobic systems can cost several times a conventional one.

    Guide: Perc tests and septic systems

  2. 2.Confirm legal road access and power

    The 2020 Census classified 97% of Chatham County's land area as rural.

    Rural tracts are often sold without recorded access or a power line nearby. Get the title company to confirm a recorded easement or public road frontage, and ask the electric co-op what a line extension costs.

    Guide: Road access and landlocked land

  3. 3.Confirm the flood zone at your exact spot

    5.3% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 4.5% of its mapped soils flood occasionally or frequently.

    Even where little of the county floods, creeks and low spots do. Check the FEMA zone at the building site and the driveway route.

    Guide: Flood zones before buying land

  4. 4.Check the soils if you plan to farm, graze or garden

    Farm real estate in Chatham County averaged $7,656 an acre including buildings in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and 82% of its mapped soils are prime or of statewide importance.

    Compare the asking price with recent sales of similar tracts, not the county average, which mixes cropland, pasture, timber and homesites. If an ag tax valuation applies, ask what the rollback taxes would be if you change the use.

    Guide: Land due diligence checklist

  5. 5.Find out where the water comes from

    At least half of Chatham County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 11% of the 262 weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps from 2021 to 2026.

    Ask whether the land has a public water connection, an existing well (and its log and yield), or neighbors' well depths from the state well database. For a new well, check permits and typical depth with the state agency first.

    Guide: Wells, public water and water rights

  6. 6.Check slope at the building site

    6.9% of Chatham County's mapped soils have an average slope over 15% (USDA SSURGO).

    Steep ground means grading, retaining walls, longer driveways and erosion control. Compare the slope at the house site and along the access route, not just the parcel average.

    Guide: Terrain and slope

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Chatham County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
5.3%, 32nd lowest of 100 in North Carolina FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
4.5% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
1.7% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
27 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
65% moderate or worse, 29% severe or worse U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

The floodplain share is the area FEMA's National Risk Index counts as exposed to inland flooding, mostly mapped 100-year flood zones. It says how common flood-prone land is in Chatham County, not whether a given parcel floods. For that, look up the zone at your exact point on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or run the free check.

Soils and terrain

Prime farmland
25% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Prime only if drained, irrigated or protected
4.2% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
57% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
6.9% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
57% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Chatham County's soil-surveyed land (about 434,999 acres, open water excluded), using each map unit's dominant condition in USDA's SSURGO soil survey. Soils change within a few hundred feet, so the soil at your building site is what matters.

Farms and land use

Farms (2022)
1,076 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
26% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
106 acres (median 49) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$7,656 per acre, 24th highest of 100 in North Carolina USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
33,799 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
50,295 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
29,748 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
673 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

FEMA's National Risk Index rates each hazard for Chatham County relative to every other U.S. county. Overall risk: Relatively Low.

  • HurricaneRelatively Moderate
  • River and inland floodingRelatively Moderate
  • LightningRelatively Moderate
  • TornadoRelatively Moderate
  • DroughtRelatively Low
  • EarthquakeRelatively Low
  • HailRelatively Low
  • Heat waveRelatively Low
  • Strong windRelatively Low
  • Winter weatherRelatively Low
  • LandslideVery Low
  • WildfireVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Chatham County

How much of Chatham County, NC is in a flood zone?

About 5.3% of Chatham County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 32nd lowest of 100 counties in North Carolina. Whether a given parcel is in a flood zone depends on its exact location, so check the FEMA map at your pin.

How much does land cost per acre in Chatham County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Chatham County at $7,656 an acre, 24th highest of 100 counties in North Carolina (the median North Carolina county was $5,848). It's a self-reported average across farms, so small homesites and recreational tracts often sell for more per acre.

Will a septic system work on land in Chatham County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 57% of Chatham County's mapped soils very limited for conventional septic absorption fields, usually because of wetness, slow permeability, shallow rock or flooding. A perc or soil test on the parcel decides what system the health department will permit.

Is there good farmland in Chatham County?

25% of Chatham County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 4.2% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 57% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 1,076 farms averaging 106 acres.

How often is Chatham County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 11% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 4.2%. On 2026-10-27, 65% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Chatham County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Chatham County on the free check. It shows which checks return data at that exact point, and the full report costs $29: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power lines, wildfire and more, each with its source. It is a screen of public maps, not a survey, title search or perc test.

Check the parcel, not just the county

County numbers tell you what to look for. The free check looks at your exact point in Chatham County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Chatham County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Chatham County as a whole; a parcel can be entirely in or out of a flood zone, wetland or poor soil.
  • It doesn't look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits.
  • It isn't a survey, appraisal, elevation certificate, soil or perc test, or Phase I environmental site assessment.
  • It can't see local distribution power lines, driveways, legal access, wells or mineral rights.
  • Maps lag behind the ground, and distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Sources and vintages

Summarized per county by our build script on 2026-10-31. County figures cover the whole county; checks on the report are at your point.