HomeWest VirginiaBraxton County

Braxton County, West Virginia

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 25% of Braxton County's mapped land, a higher share than 76% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 11%.

None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 6 flood losses here since 2016. 55% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1977.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

25%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

11%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

55%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Braxton County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)25.2%
High water table (limits basements)10.9%
Septic fields very limited97.5%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)3.1%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)25.2%
Mapped soil330,700 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Gilpin52%0%
Upshur23%99%
Buchanan8%n/a
Vandalia7%n/a
Sensabaugh2%n/a
Lily1%n/a
Gilmer County: 26%Webster County: 0%Calhoun County: 34%Lewis County: 29%Clay County: 8%Nicholas County: 0%Upshur County: 5%Roane County: 36%Braxton County GilmerWebsterCalhounLewisClayNicholasUpshurRoaneBraxton
Braxton 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 WV007 (2025-09-05)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.1% by land area here, and 25% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 25% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 42.06 in, 7.05 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.11 in.

USDA rates 98% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

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 15 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 9 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 2026 map.

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

Flood losses since 2016

6 flood losses since 2016, $21,469 paid. The worst year was 2021, with 3.

YearFlood losses
20162
20170
20180
20190
20201
20213
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202049.11 in
12 months to August 202642.06 in (-7.05)
202543.23 in (-5.88)
Wettest year since 18952018: 67.90 in
Driest year since 18951930: 26.73 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GASSAWAY (3 mi away)10.8

Homes

Housing units6,244
Median year built1977
Built before 198055%
Built 2000 or later19%
Owner-occupied77%
Median value, owner-occupied$117,900
Single-family detached71%

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
Gilmer County, WV 16 mi 26% 5%
Webster County, WV 21 mi 0% 20%
Calhoun County, WV 23 mi 34% 5%
Lewis County, WV 24 mi 29% 4%
Clay County, WV 25 mi 8% 1%
Nicholas County, WV 28 mi under 1% 21%
Upshur County, WV 30 mi 5% 29%
Roane County, WV 34 mi 36% 6%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 5, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status