HomeWest VirginiaLincoln County

Lincoln County, West Virginia

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 10% of Lincoln County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 4%, 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 24 flood losses here since 2016. 45% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1983.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

10%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

4%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

45%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Lincoln County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)9.8%
High water table (limits basements)4.0%
Septic fields very limited98.1%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)2.0%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)9.8%
Mapped soil281,000 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Gilpin22%0%
Matewan19%n/a
Rayne17%n/a
Highsplint14%n/a
Upshur8%99%
Cloverlick5%n/a
Wayne County: 17%Cabell County: 21%Boone County: 0%Logan County: 0%Putnam County: 33%Kanawha County: 13%Mingo County: 0%Martin County: 0%Lincoln County WayneCabellBooneLoganPutnamKanawhaMingoMartinLincoln
Lincoln 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 WV043 (2025-09-05)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 42.04 in, 4.90 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.94 in.

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

With shrink-swell clay on 10% and a shallow water table on 4% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Lincoln 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 13 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

24 flood losses since 2016, $163,880 paid. The worst year was 2021, with 7.

YearFlood losses
20163
20174
20184
20192
20200
20217
20220
20231
20241
20252
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202046.94 in
12 months to August 202642.04 in (-4.90)
202549.35 in (+2.41)
Wettest year since 18952018: 61.07 in
Driest year since 18951930: 25.32 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MADISON 3NNW (13 mi away)10.6

Homes

Housing units9,595
Median year built1983
Built before 198045%
Built 2000 or later19%
Owner-occupied75%
Median value, owner-occupied$105,300
Single-family detached64%

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
Wayne County, WV 19 mi 17% 28%
Cabell County, WV 19 mi 21% 11%
Boone County, WV 22 mi 0% 1%
Logan County, WV 25 mi 0% 1%
Putnam County, WV 25 mi 33% 9%
Kanawha County, WV 31 mi 13% 5%
Mingo County, WV 31 mi 0% under 1%
Martin County, KY 35 mi 0% 1%

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