HomeWest VirginiaJackson County

Jackson County, West Virginia

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 47% of Jackson County's mapped land, a higher share than 90% of US counties and the 2nd highest of 55 West Virginia counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 9%.

None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 17 flood losses here since 2016. 51% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1979.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

47%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

9%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

51%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Jackson County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)46.8%
High water table (limits basements)9.1%
Septic fields very limited95.6%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)4.6%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)30.0%
Mapped soil301,600 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Gilpin29%0%
Upshur28%99%
Peabody17%n/a
Vandalia9%n/a
Sensabaugh3%n/a
Moshannon2%n/a
Roane County: 36%Mason County: 32%Wirt County: 50%Putnam County: 33%Meigs County: 43%Wood County: 45%Calhoun County: 34%Gallia County: 29%Jackson County RoaneMasonWirtPutnamMeigsWoodCalhounGalliaJackson
Jackson 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 WV600 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.6% by land area here, and 30% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 47% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 42.84 in, 2.95 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 45.79 in.

USDA rates 96% 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 12 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 94% of its area, in 2 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

17 flood losses since 2016, $501,307 paid. The worst year was 2022, with 7.

YearFlood losses
20163
20170
20180
20190
20201
20215
20227
20230
20240
20251
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202045.79 in
12 months to August 202642.84 in (-2.95)
202546.73 in (+0.94)
Wettest year since 18952011: 60.26 in
Driest year since 18951930: 24.46 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at RIPLEY (2 mi away)10.2

Homes

Housing units12,867
Median year built1979
Built before 198051%
Built 2000 or later21%
Owner-occupied79%
Median value, owner-occupied$157,200
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
Roane County, WV 19 mi 36% 6%
Mason County, WV 19 mi 32% 16%
Wirt County, WV 20 mi 50% 17%
Putnam County, WV 26 mi 33% 9%
Meigs County, OH 26 mi 43% 21%
Wood County, WV 28 mi 45% 21%
Calhoun County, WV 30 mi 34% 5%
Gallia County, OH 34 mi 29% 26%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 8, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status