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Arcola, Texas
Inside Arcola's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 80% of mapped land, the 5th-highest of 17 cities in Fort Bend County. A shallow water table limits basements on 23%.
That clay share is above Fort Bend County's 64%. FEMA's flood data list 457 flood losses since 2016 in the 2 ZIP codes overlapping the city. Of its 739 homes, 13% were built before 1980; the median dates from 2001.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Fort Bend County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 2 overlapping ZIPs
of homes built before 1980
Foundation repair in Arcola
Foundation repair in Arcola: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 80% of Arcola's mapped land, more than in 85% of Texas cities.
About 400 of Arcola's 739 homes are detached houses.
| Who designs the repair | The ASCE Texas Section's repair guidelines say a Texas-licensed engineer should evaluate the foundation and design the repair (2022 guidelines) |
| Prices | Cost guide ranges compared |
Soil under Arcola city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 79.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 22.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 88.7% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 11.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 79.9% |
| Mapped soil | 1,668 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles | 72% | 97% |
| Bernard | 18% | 43% |
| Edna | 4% | n/a |
| Norwood | 1% | n/a |
| Verland | 1% | n/a |
| Cieno | 1% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 11.8% by land area here, and 80% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 80% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 83.3% of Fort Bend County is in drought on the latest map, and 80% of Arcola's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 23% of Arcola's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 89% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Fort Bend County
83.3% of Fort Bend County is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. County detail.
Flood losses by ZIP code
FEMA flood records since 2016 in the ZIP codes that overlap Arcola. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77583 | 84% | 403 | $23.5 million |
| 77545 | 16% | 54 | $2.9 million |
Homes in Arcola
| Housing units | 739 |
| Median year built | 2001 |
| Built before 1980 | 13% |
| Built 2000 or later | 53% |
| Owner-occupied | 60% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $242,600 |
| Single-family detached | 56% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Colony | 5 mi | 76% | 28% |
| Missouri City | 6 mi | 58% | 29% |
| Manvel | 6 mi | 70% | 47% |
| Sandy Point | 7 mi | 74% | 34% |
| Pearland | 10 mi | 70% | 36% |
| Thompsons | 10 mi | 42% | 23% |
| Stafford | 10 mi | 71% | 43% |
| Brookside Village | 11 mi | 69% | 56% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status