HomeWest VirginiaKanawha County

Kanawha County, West Virginia

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 13% of Kanawha County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 5%, both below the national shares of 15% and 29%. None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map.

FEMA's flood data list 590 flood losses here since 2016, 30% of them in buildings with basements. 70% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1966.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

13%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

5%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

70%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Kanawha County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)12.7%
High water table (limits basements)4.6%
Septic fields very limited92.0%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)2.2%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)7.5%
Urban land, not rated2.4%
Mapped soil581,400 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Gilpin26%0%
Clymer21%n/a
Dekalb18%n/a
Upshur11%99%
Cedarcreek4%n/a
Kaymine2%n/a
Boone County: 0%Putnam County: 33%Clay County: 8%Roane County: 36%Lincoln County: 10%Fayette County: 0%Jackson County: 47%Cabell County: 21%Kanawha County BoonePutnamClayRoaneLincolnFayetteJacksonCabellKanawha
Kanawha 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 WV039 (2025-09-05)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 45.12 in, 1.56 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.68 in.

USDA rates 92% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 13% and a shallow water table on 5% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Kanawha 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 14 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 8 weeks, most recently on the June 9, 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

590 flood losses since 2016, $23.7 million paid. The worst year was 2016, with 336. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 30% basements, 18% slabs, 28% crawl spaces, 24% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 19 in.

YearFlood losses
2016336
20171
201814
20196
20203
202174
202247
202320
202433
202522
2026 to date34

Rain

Average year, 1991-202046.68 in
12 months to August 202645.12 in (-1.56)
202550.69 in (+4.01)
Wettest year since 18952018: 64.59 in
Driest year since 18951930: 26.77 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CHARLESTON YEAGER AP (5 mi away)9.6

Homes

Housing units90,408
Median year built1966
Built before 198070%
Built 2000 or later12%
Owner-occupied71%
Median value, owner-occupied$147,300
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
Boone County, WV 23 mi 0% 1%
Putnam County, WV 24 mi 33% 9%
Clay County, WV 26 mi 8% 1%
Roane County, WV 30 mi 36% 6%
Lincoln County, WV 31 mi 10% 4%
Fayette County, WV 32 mi 0% 7%
Jackson County, WV 36 mi 47% 9%
Cabell County, WV 39 mi 21% 11%

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