HomeWest VirginiaPutnam County

Putnam County, West Virginia

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 33% of Putnam County's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties and the 9th 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 54 flood losses here since 2016, 3% of them in buildings with basements. 37% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1989.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

33%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

9%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

37%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Putnam County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)32.8%
High water table (limits basements)9.2%
Septic fields very limited93.7%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)4.0%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)32.3%
Urban land, not rated1.0%
Mapped soil224,200 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Gilpin45%0%
Upshur29%99%
Vandalia7%n/a
Sensabaugh3%n/a
Chagrin1%n/a
Monongahela1%n/a
Mason County: 32%Cabell County: 21%Kanawha County: 13%Lincoln County: 10%Jackson County: 47%Gallia County: 29%Lawrence County: 29%Roane County: 36%Putnam County MasonCabellKanawhaLincolnJacksonGalliaLawrenceRoanePutnam
Putnam 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 WV079 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.0% 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 33% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 41.67 in, 2.56 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 44.23 in.

USDA rates 94% 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 13 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 6 weeks, most recently on the May 26, 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

54 flood losses since 2016, $1.6 million paid. The worst year was 2018, with 36. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 3% basements, 10% slabs, 67% crawl spaces, 20% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 16 in.

YearFlood losses
20165
20170
201836
20190
20201
20213
20223
20231
20240
20254
2026 to date1

Rain

Average year, 1991-202044.23 in
12 months to August 202641.67 in (-2.56)
202547.33 in (+3.10)
Wettest year since 18952018: 58.41 in
Driest year since 18951930: 25.36 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at WINFIELD LOCKS (1 mi away)8.4

Homes

Housing units24,963
Median year built1989
Built before 198037%
Built 2000 or later26%
Owner-occupied82%
Median value, owner-occupied$223,300
Single-family detached76%

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
Mason County, WV 19 mi 32% 16%
Cabell County, WV 19 mi 21% 11%
Kanawha County, WV 24 mi 13% 5%
Lincoln County, WV 25 mi 10% 4%
Jackson County, WV 26 mi 47% 9%
Gallia County, OH 30 mi 29% 26%
Lawrence County, OH 34 mi 29% 11%
Roane County, WV 34 mi 36% 6%

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