HomeWest VirginiaGilmer County

Gilmer County, West Virginia

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 26% of Gilmer County's mapped land, a higher share than 76% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 5%.

None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 4 flood losses here since 2016. 62% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1974.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

26%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

5%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

62%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Gilmer County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)25.6%
High water table (limits basements)5.2%
Septic fields very limited98.6%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)3.3%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)25.6%
Mapped soil217,400 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Gilpin56%0%
Peabody17%n/a
Upshur9%99%
Vandalia8%n/a
Sensabaugh4%n/a
Chagrin2%n/a
Calhoun County: 34%Braxton County: 25%Lewis County: 29%Ritchie County: 44%Doddridge County: 25%Wirt County: 50%Roane County: 36%Upshur County: 5%Gilmer County CalhounBraxtonLewisRitchieDoddridgeWirtRoaneUpshurGilmer
Gilmer 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 WV021 (2025-09-05)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.3% by land area here, and 26% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 26% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 42.25 in, 5.83 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.08 in.

USDA rates 99% 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 13 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

4 flood losses since 2016, $29,698 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 3.

YearFlood losses
20161
20170
20183
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202048.08 in
12 months to August 202642.25 in (-5.83)
202539.86 in (-8.22)
Wettest year since 18952018: 65.90 in
Driest year since 18951930: 26.25 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at GLENVILLE (2 mi away)9.7

Homes

Housing units3,117
Median year built1974
Built before 198062%
Built 2000 or later15%
Owner-occupied76%
Median value, owner-occupied$83,800
Single-family detached70%

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
Calhoun County, WV 15 mi 34% 5%
Braxton County, WV 16 mi 25% 11%
Lewis County, WV 20 mi 29% 4%
Ritchie County, WV 21 mi 44% 10%
Doddridge County, WV 25 mi 25% 7%
Wirt County, WV 30 mi 50% 17%
Roane County, WV 30 mi 36% 6%
Upshur County, WV 33 mi 5% 29%

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