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Columbus, Texas
Inside Columbus' city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 12% of mapped land, the 3rd-highest of 3 cities in Colorado County. A shallow water table limits basements on 22%, the highest of 3 cities in Colorado County.
That clay share is below Colorado County's 37%. FEMA's flood data list 32 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 78934 overlapping the city. Of its 1,653 homes, 59% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1969.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Colorado County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 1 overlapping ZIP
of homes built before 1980
Foundation repair in Columbus
Foundation repair in Columbus: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 12% of Columbus' mapped land.
About 1,200 of Columbus' 1,653 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 Columbus city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 12.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 22.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 48.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 15.4% |
| Mapped soil | 1,927 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Smithville | 34% | n/a |
| Wilson | 10% | 88% |
| Nez | 10% | n/a |
| Gad | 9% | n/a |
| Milby | 6% | n/a |
| Bergstrom | 5% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
On 22% of Columbus' mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
Drought in Colorado County
100% of Colorado 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 Columbus. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78934 | 100% | 32 | $3.0 million |
Homes in Columbus
| Housing units | 1,653 |
| Median year built | 1969 |
| Built before 1980 | 59% |
| Built 2000 or later | 15% |
| Owner-occupied | 69% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $241,700 |
| Single-family detached | 76% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellinger | 13 mi | 90% | 3% |
| Weimar | 13 mi | 68% | 2% |
| Fayetteville | 16 mi | 77% | 12% |
| Eagle Lake | 16 mi | 60% | 8% |
| Industry | 19 mi | 25% | 14% |
| Schulenburg | 21 mi | 65% | 13% |
| La Grange | 24 mi | 64% | 4% |
| Sealy | 24 mi | 10% | 32% |
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