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Bedford, Texas
Inside Bedford's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 37% of mapped land. A shallow water table limits basements on 16%, the 4th-highest of 35 cities in Tarrant County.
That clay share is close to Tarrant County's 41%. USDA doesn't rate the 25% of mapped land classed as urban land, so these shares are floors. FEMA's flood data list 4 flood losses since 2016 in the 2 ZIP codes overlapping the city. Of its 21,878 homes, 38% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1983.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Tarrant 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 Bedford
Foundation repair in Bedford: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 37% of Bedford's mapped land.
The city requires a permit for the work.
About 11,600 of Bedford's 21,878 homes are detached houses.
| City permit | Required. Bedford says a permit is required for residential foundation work, with plans stamped and sealed by a licensed engineer. (City of Bedford, Texas, read October 2, 2026) |
| Engineer | Bedford requires plans stamped and sealed by a licensed engineer for residential foundation work. (City of Bedford, Texas) |
| Prices | Cost guide ranges compared |
Soil under Bedford city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 37.1% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 16.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 56.6% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 37.1% |
| Urban land, not rated | 25.5% |
| Mapped soil | 6,435 acres |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.2% by land area here, and 37% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 37% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of Tarrant County is in drought on the latest map, and 37% of Bedford's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 16% of Bedford's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 57% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Tarrant County
100% of Tarrant 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 Bedford. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 76021 | 72% | 4 | $24,081 |
| 76022 | 27% | 0 | $0 |
Homes in Bedford
| Housing units | 21,878 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 38% |
| Built 2000 or later | 13% |
| Owner-occupied | 51% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $350,700 |
| Single-family detached | 53% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurst | 3 mi | 27% | 13% |
| Colleyville | 3 mi | 27% | 14% |
| Euless | 3 mi | 37% | 9% |
| North Richland Hills | 5 mi | 55% | 11% |
| Richland Hills | 6 mi | 33% | 1% |
| Watauga | 7 mi | 61% | 0% |
| Grapevine | 7 mi | 41% | 7% |
| Southlake | 8 mi | 36% | 17% |
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