HomeNorth CarolinaWilkes County

Wilkes County, North Carolina

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 0% of Wilkes County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 6%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, after 8.2% a week earlier.

FEMA's flood data list 14 flood losses here since 2016. 51% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1980.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

0%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

6%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

51%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Wilkes County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)0.0%
High water table (limits basements)6.4%
Septic fields very limited89.6%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)1.8%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)0.0%
Mapped soil485,382 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Fairview29%0%
Evard15%0%
Cowee11%n/a
Rhodhiss10%n/a
Chestnut9%n/a
Ashe3%n/a
Alleghany County: 0%Alexander County: 0%Ashe County: 0%Caldwell County: 0%Yadkin County: 1%Surry County: 0%Grayson County: 1%Watauga County: 0%Wilkes County AlleghanyAlexanderAsheCaldwellYadkinSurryGraysonWataugaWilkes
Wilkes County (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by expansive clay share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas NC193 (2025-08-27)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 36.63 in, 14.36 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.99 in.

USDA rates 90% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 0% and a shallow water table on 6% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Wilkes County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

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 43 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 30 weeks, most recently on the August 4, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse48.2%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

14 flood losses since 2016, $567,429 paid. The worst year was 2024, with 6.

YearFlood losses
20160
20171
20181
20190
20202
20210
20221
20232
20246
20251
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202050.99 in
12 months to August 202636.63 in (-14.36)
202542.78 in (-8.21)
Wettest year since 18952020: 76.60 in
Driest year since 18951925: 32.48 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at N WILKESBORO (3 mi away)14.8

Homes

Housing units31,836
Median year built1980
Built before 198051%
Built 2000 or later17%
Owner-occupied74%
Median value, owner-occupied$168,800
Single-family detached66%

What repairs cost

Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.

WorkRangeSource
Foundation repair, US $2,200 to $8,200 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Pier-and-beam repair, US $2,000 to $15,000 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Foundation inspection, US $300 to $600 Fixr, January 31, 2025

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Alleghany County, NC 19 mi 0% 5%
Alexander County, NC 20 mi 0% 5%
Ashe County, NC 25 mi 0% 4%
Caldwell County, NC 26 mi 0% 6%
Yadkin County, NC 28 mi 1% 9%
Surry County, NC 30 mi under 1% 4%
Grayson County, VA 31 mi 1% 6%
Watauga County, NC 31 mi 0% 4%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 27, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status