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Pleasants County, West Virginia

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 32% of Pleasants County's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties and the 10th highest of 55 West Virginia 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 1 flood losses here since 2016. 56% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1976.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

32%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

5%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

56%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Pleasants County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)31.9%
High water table (limits basements)5.4%
Septic fields very limited89.3%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)4.1%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)31.9%
Mapped soil86,200 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Gilpin47%0%
Upshur28%99%
Sensabaugh3%n/a
Vandalia3%n/a
Chagrin1%n/a
Wheeling1%0%
Ritchie County: 44%Tyler County: 34%Washington County: 40%Wood County: 45%Monroe County: 27%Doddridge County: 25%Wirt County: 50%Noble County: 31%Pleasants County RitchieTylerWashingtonWoodMonroeDoddridgeWirtNoblePleasants
Pleasants 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 WV612 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.1% by land area here, and 32% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 32% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 48.85 in, 2.75 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 46.10 in.

USDA rates 89% 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. No part of the county was in drought in the last 52 weeks.

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

1 flood losses since 2016, $10,703 paid. The worst year was 2018, with 1.

YearFlood losses
20160
20170
20181
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202046.10 in
12 months to August 202648.85 in (+2.75)
202544.98 in (-1.12)
Wettest year since 18952018: 67.29 in
Driest year since 18951930: 23.71 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MARIETTA WWTP (15 mi away)9.5

Homes

Housing units3,222
Median year built1976
Built before 198056%
Built 2000 or later17%
Owner-occupied81%
Median value, owner-occupied$151,000
Single-family detached66%

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
Ritchie County, WV 14 mi 44% 10%
Tyler County, WV 17 mi 34% 9%
Washington County, OH 18 mi 40% 19%
Wood County, WV 22 mi 45% 21%
Monroe County, OH 25 mi 27% 18%
Doddridge County, WV 25 mi 25% 7%
Wirt County, WV 27 mi 50% 17%
Noble County, OH 32 mi 31% 18%

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