HomeWest VirginiaWetzel County

Wetzel County, West Virginia

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 27% of Wetzel County's mapped land, a higher share than 77% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 7%.

None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 42 flood losses here since 2016, 54% of them in buildings with basements. 72% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1962.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

27%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

7%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

72%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Wetzel County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)26.7%
High water table (limits basements)6.7%
Septic fields very limited98.2%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)3.4%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)24.3%
Mapped soil231,200 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Gilpin52%0%
Peabody33%n/a
Skidmore6%n/a
Vandalia4%n/a
Nolin2%n/a
Melvinunder 1%n/a
Tyler County: 34%Marshall County: 5%Marion County: 11%Doddridge County: 25%Harrison County: 10%Monroe County: 27%Greene County: 6%Monongalia County: 8%Wetzel County TylerMarshallMarionDoddridgeHarrisonMonroeGreeneMonongaliaWetzel
Wetzel 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 WV103 (2025-09-08)

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 3.4% by land area here, and 24% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 27% of the mapped land.

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 49.62 in, 2.28 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 47.34 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 9 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the October 28, 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

42 flood losses since 2016, $1.1 million paid. The worst year was 2017, with 18. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 54% basements, 25% slabs, 7% crawl spaces, 14% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 21 in.

YearFlood losses
20160
201718
20183
20190
20202
20210
20221
20230
202417
20251
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202047.34 in
12 months to August 202649.62 in (+2.28)
202544.33 in (-3.01)
Wettest year since 18952018: 67.92 in
Driest year since 18951930: 26.62 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at HANNIBAL LOCKS & DAM (13 mi away)9.4

Homes

Housing units7,297
Median year built1962
Built before 198072%
Built 2000 or later9%
Owner-occupied83%
Median value, owner-occupied$107,900
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
Tyler County, WV 16 mi 34% 9%
Marshall County, WV 18 mi 5% 48%
Marion County, WV 22 mi 11% 23%
Doddridge County, WV 23 mi 25% 7%
Harrison County, WV 26 mi 10% 19%
Monroe County, OH 26 mi 27% 18%
Greene County, PA 28 mi 6% 59%
Monongalia County, WV 31 mi 8% 24%

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