HomeWest VirginiaRoane County

Roane County, West Virginia

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 36% of Roane County's mapped land, a higher share than 85% of US counties and the 6th highest of 55 West Virginia counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 6%.

None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 28 flood losses here since 2016. 58% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1976.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

36%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

6%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

58%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Roane County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)36.3%
High water table (limits basements)6.3%
Septic fields very limited98.3%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)4.0%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)36.3%
Mapped soil309,700 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Gilpin46%0%
Peabody21%n/a
Upshur14%99%
Vandalia9%n/a
Sensabaugh4%n/a
Moshannon2%n/a
Calhoun County: 34%Jackson County: 47%Wirt County: 50%Clay County: 8%Gilmer County: 26%Kanawha County: 13%Braxton County: 25%Ritchie County: 44%Roane County CalhounJacksonWirtClayGilmerKanawhaBraxtonRitchieRoane
Roane 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 WV624 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.0% by land area here, and 36% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 36% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 43.22 in, 3.74 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 46.96 in.

USDA rates 98% 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 5 weeks, most recently on the May 19, 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

28 flood losses since 2016, $1.3 million paid. The worst year was 2016, with 19.

YearFlood losses
201619
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20221
20230
20248
20250
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202046.96 in
12 months to August 202643.22 in (-3.74)
202545.48 in (-1.48)
Wettest year since 18952018: 63.10 in
Driest year since 18951930: 25.67 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at SPENCER (4 mi away)10.1

Homes

Housing units7,146
Median year built1976
Built before 198058%
Built 2000 or later17%
Owner-occupied79%
Median value, owner-occupied$122,100
Single-family detached68%

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
Calhoun County, WV 15 mi 34% 5%
Jackson County, WV 19 mi 47% 9%
Wirt County, WV 19 mi 50% 17%
Clay County, WV 24 mi 8% 1%
Gilmer County, WV 30 mi 26% 5%
Kanawha County, WV 30 mi 13% 5%
Braxton County, WV 34 mi 25% 11%
Ritchie County, WV 34 mi 44% 10%

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