HomeWest VirginiaCabell County

Cabell County, West Virginia

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 21% of Cabell County's mapped land, a higher share than 72% 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 187 flood losses here since 2016, 36% of them in buildings with basements. 65% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1971.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

21%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

11%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

65%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Cabell County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)21.5%
High water table (limits basements)11.0%
Septic fields very limited87.9%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)3.3%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)21.2%
Urban land, not rated4.3%
Mapped soil184,400 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Gilpin51%0%
Upshur20%99%
Dormont4%n/a
Sensabaugh4%n/a
Chagrin2%n/a
Vandalia2%n/a
Putnam County: 33%Lincoln County: 10%Lawrence County: 29%Wayne County: 17%Boyd County: 40%Mason County: 32%Gallia County: 29%Lawrence County: 17%Cabell County PutnamLincolnLawrenceWayneBoydMasonGalliaLawrenceCabell
Cabell 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 WV011 (2025-09-05)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.3% by land area here, and 21% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 21% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 41.35 in, 3.83 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.18 in.

USDA rates 88% 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 8 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 5 weeks, most recently on the May 19, 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

187 flood losses since 2016, $5.3 million paid. The worst year was 2022, with 63. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 36% basements, 14% slabs, 41% crawl spaces, 9% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 21 in.

YearFlood losses
201632
20172
20186
20191
20201
202119
202263
202312
20240
202550
2026 to date1

Rain

Average year, 1991-202045.18 in
12 months to August 202641.35 in (-3.83)
202548.24 in (+3.06)
Wettest year since 18952018: 58.19 in
Driest year since 18951930: 24.50 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HUNTINGTON TRI STATE AP (17 mi away)10.2

Homes

Housing units46,030
Median year built1971
Built before 198065%
Built 2000 or later16%
Owner-occupied64%
Median value, owner-occupied$164,400
Single-family detached65%

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
Putnam County, WV 19 mi 33% 9%
Lincoln County, WV 19 mi 10% 4%
Lawrence County, OH 20 mi 29% 11%
Wayne County, WV 21 mi 17% 28%
Boyd County, KY 24 mi 40% 25%
Mason County, WV 27 mi 32% 16%
Gallia County, OH 28 mi 29% 26%
Lawrence County, KY 36 mi 17% 14%

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