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Bailey County, Texas

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 3% of Bailey County's mapped land. A shallow water table limits basements on 2%.

None of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, after 100% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 71% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1969.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

3%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

2%

high water table: limits basements

0%

in drought, October 13, 2026

71%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Bailey County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)2.8%
High water table (limits basements)1.6%
Septic fields very limited29.5%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)3.0%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)2.7%
Mapped soil529,049 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Amarillo25%0%
Midessa12%n/a
Arvana10%n/a
Brownfield6%n/a
Circleback6%n/a
Portales5%n/a
Lamb County: 14%Cochran County: 1%Parmer County: 61%Roosevelt County: 3%Hockley County: 7%Curry County: 29%Castro County: 82%Hale County: 83%Bailey County LambCochranParmerRooseveltHockleyCurryCastroHaleBailey
Bailey 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 TX017 (2025-09-04)

What the numbers mean here

Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 11.96 in, 5.82 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 17.78 in.

With shrink-swell clay on 3% and a shallow water table on 2% of the land, the soil survey points to neither problem across most of Bailey County; conditions still vary lot by lot.

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 40 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 28 weeks, most recently on the October 6, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse100%
D1 moderate drought or worse0%
D2 severe or worse0%
D3 extreme or worse0%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Bailey County since 2016.

Rain

Average year, 1991-202017.78 in
12 months to August 202611.96 in (-5.82)
202517.23 in (-0.55)
Wettest year since 18951941: 43.21 in
Driest year since 18952011: 7.90 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at MULESHOE NTL WR (8 mi away)4

Homes

Housing units2,740
Median year built1969
Built before 198071%
Built 2000 or later11%
Owner-occupied80%
Median value, owner-occupied$105,300
Single-family detached82%

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

Cities in Bailey County

CityExpansive clayHigh water tableHomes
Muleshoe8%3%2,155

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Lamb County, TX 28 mi 14% 2%
Cochran County, TX 32 mi 1% 1%
Parmer County, TX 32 mi 61% 2%
Roosevelt County, NM 38 mi 3% under 1%
Hockley County, TX 42 mi 7% 1%
Curry County, NM 46 mi 29% 1%
Castro County, TX 46 mi 82% 5%
Hale County, TX 58 mi 83% 7%

Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 4, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status