HomeWest VirginiaOhio County

Ohio County, West Virginia

USDA's soil survey flags shrink-swell clay on 1% of Ohio County's mapped land and a shallow water table under basements on 7%, 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 192 flood losses here since 2016, 66% of them in buildings with basements. 77% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1956.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

1%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

7%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

77%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Ohio County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)0.6%
High water table (limits basements)7.3%
Septic fields very limited63.7%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)2.3%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)0.6%
Urban land, not rated2.7%
Mapped soil69,700 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Westmoreland74%0%
Clarksburg2%n/a
Guernsey2%n/a
Lindside2%n/a
Huntington1%n/a
Brookside1%n/a
Brooke County: 1%Marshall County: 5%Belmont County: 23%Washington County: 7%Jefferson County: 21%Greene County: 6%Harrison County: 27%Hancock County: 1%Ohio County BrookeMarshallBelmontWashingtonJeffersonGreeneHarrisonHancockOhio
Ohio 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 WV604 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 43.12 in, 0.11 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 43.01 in.

USDA rates 64% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

With shrink-swell clay on 1% and a shallow water table on 7% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Ohio 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 4 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 98.4% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the October 14, 2025 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

192 flood losses since 2016, $7.6 million paid. The worst year was 2024, with 58. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 66% basements, 22% slabs, 1% crawl spaces, 11% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 19 in.

YearFlood losses
20164
201718
201834
20191
202021
20213
20220
20230
202458
202550
2026 to date3

Rain

Average year, 1991-202043.01 in
12 months to August 202643.12 in (+0.11)
202533.50 in (-9.51)
Wettest year since 18952018: 64.71 in
Driest year since 18951930: 26.04 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at PIKE ISLAND(LOCK & DAM) (5 mi away)7.4

Homes

Housing units21,120
Median year built1956
Built before 198077%
Built 2000 or later11%
Owner-occupied66%
Median value, owner-occupied$166,000
Single-family detached67%

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
Brooke County, WV 11 mi 1% 9%
Marshall County, WV 18 mi 5% 48%
Belmont County, OH 19 mi 23% 18%
Washington County, PA 21 mi 7% 51%
Jefferson County, OH 21 mi 21% 11%
Greene County, PA 28 mi 6% 59%
Harrison County, OH 28 mi 27% 29%
Hancock County, WV 28 mi 1% 11%

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