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

Cumberland County covers 653 square miles of land and 6 of water in North Carolina, with about 338,430 residents in 2024 (up 1.1% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 75% of its land as rural and 86% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 16% of the county's land. Below: how much of Cumberland 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 Cumberland CountySee a sample report

Cumberland County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

15%

Above the state's county median (7.2%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

28%

Above the state's county median (3.2%)

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

71%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$5,708/acre

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

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

14%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

75%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Cumberland County

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

  1. 1.Put flood checks first in Cumberland County

    15% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 11% of its mapped soils flood occasionally or frequently.

    Look up the FEMA flood zone at the pin, not the parcel's address. If any of the land is in zone A or V, price flood insurance before you offer, ask for an elevation certificate, and check whether the access road floods too.

    Guide: Flood zones before buying land

  2. 2.Budget for a perc test and maybe an engineered septic

    USDA rates 71% of Cumberland 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

  3. 3.Expect wetlands; map them before you plan

    About 28% of Cumberland County's mapped soils are hydric (formed under saturated conditions, a federal wetland indicator) and 31% are poorly or very poorly drained (USDA SSURGO).

    Open the National Wetlands Inventory mapper at the parcel. Filling or draining a wetland can need a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit, and wet ground limits septic fields and building pads.

    Guide: Wetlands on land for sale

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

    Farm real estate in Cumberland County averaged $5,708 an acre including buildings in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and 47% 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 Cumberland County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 14% 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.Confirm access, utilities and zoning

    The 2020 Census classified 75% of Cumberland 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: Zoning and deed restrictions

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Cumberland County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
15%, 11th highest of 100 in North Carolina FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
11% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
28% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
31% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
6 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
89% moderate or worse, 2.4% 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 Cumberland 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
18% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Prime only if drained, irrigated or protected
13% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
29% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
1.3% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
71% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Cumberland County's soil-surveyed land (about 416,513 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)
327 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
16% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
202 acres (median 50) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$5,708 per acre, 48th lowest of 100 in North Carolina USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
37,346 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
4,239 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
21,427 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
2,469 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

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

  • Winter weatherVery High
  • HurricaneRelatively High
  • LightningRelatively High
  • TornadoRelatively High
  • HailRelatively Moderate
  • Heat waveRelatively Moderate
  • River and inland floodingRelatively Moderate
  • Strong windRelatively Moderate
  • DroughtRelatively Low
  • EarthquakeRelatively Low
  • WildfireRelatively Low
  • LandslideVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Cumberland County

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

About 15% of Cumberland County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 11th highest 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 Cumberland County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Cumberland County at $5,708 an acre, 48th lowest 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 Cumberland County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 71% of Cumberland 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 Cumberland County?

18% of Cumberland County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 13% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 29% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 327 farms averaging 202 acres.

How often is Cumberland County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 14% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 1.5%. On 2026-10-27, 89% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Cumberland County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Cumberland 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 Cumberland County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Cumberland County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Cumberland 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.