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Bellmead, Texas

Inside Bellmead's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 69% of mapped land, higher than 74% of Texas cities. A shallow water table limits basements on 1%, the 4th-highest of 19 cities in McLennan County.

That clay share is above McLennan County's 56%. FEMA's flood data list 5 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 76705 overlapping the city. Of its 3,800 homes, 43% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1984.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in McLennan County

69%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

1%

high water table: limits basements

5

flood losses since 2016 in 1 overlapping ZIP

43%

of homes built before 1980

Foundation repair in Bellmead

Foundation repair in Bellmead: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 69% of Bellmead's mapped land, more than in 74% of Texas cities.

About 2,600 of Bellmead's 3,800 homes are detached houses.

Who designs the repairThe ASCE Texas Section's repair guidelines say a Texas-licensed engineer should evaluate the foundation and design the repair (2022 guidelines)
PricesCost guide ranges compared

Soil under Bellmead city limits

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)69.4%
High water table (limits basements)1.4%
Septic fields very limited81.1%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)6.9%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)69.4%
Urban land, not rated4.6%
Mapped soil4,454 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Mabank21%n/a
Axtell18%89%
Wilson16%88%
Chazos8%n/a
Bremond8%n/a
Bastsil6%n/a
McLennan CountyBellmead
Bellmead city limits inside McLennan County, shaded by the city's expansive clay share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count

What the numbers mean here

Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.9% by land area here, and 69% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 69% of the mapped land.

Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of McLennan County is in drought on the latest map, and 69% of Bellmead's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.

USDA rates 81% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.

Drought in McLennan County

100% of McLennan County is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. County detail.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026

Flood losses by ZIP code

FEMA flood records since 2016 in the ZIP codes that overlap Bellmead. ZIP areas reach past city limits.

ZIPShare of city landFlood lossesPaid
76705100%5$34,468

Homes in Bellmead

Housing units3,800
Median year built1984
Built before 198043%
Built 2000 or later27%
Owner-occupied60%
Median value, owner-occupied$155,100
Single-family detached67%

Nearby cities

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Lacy-Lakeview 2 mi 66% 2%
Waco 7 mi 38% under 1%
Beverly Hills 7 mi 53% 1%
Ross 9 mi 58% under 1%
Hallsburg 10 mi 76% 0%
Leroy 10 mi 83% under 1%
Robinson 11 mi 73% 1%
Woodway 11 mi 25% 0%

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