Foard County, Texas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 49% of Foard County's mapped land, a higher share than 91% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 1%.
The soil survey maps 76% of the county's land area; these shares describe the mapped part. 100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 86% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1958.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, October 13, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Foard County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 49.2% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 1.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 83.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 47.0% |
| Mapped soil | 341,967 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Tillman | 21% | 93% |
| Rotan | 14% | n/a |
| Knoco | 14% | n/a |
| Vernon | 10% | n/a |
| Hollister | 8% | n/a |
| Cottonwood | 6% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas TX155 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.0% by land area here, and 47% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 49% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 49% of Foard County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 14.46 in, 11.06 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 25.52 in.
USDA rates 84% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 52 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 39 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 97.1% |
| D4 exceptional | 59.2% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Foard County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 25.52 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 14.46 in (-11.06) |
| 2025 | 25.88 in (+0.36) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1941: 44.42 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2011: 9.55 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CROWELL (5 mi away) | 8.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 623 |
| Median year built | 1958 |
| Built before 1980 | 86% |
| Built 2000 or later | 6% |
| Owner-occupied | 76% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $70,700 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Foard County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crowell | 64% | under 1% | 389 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardeman County, TX | 23 mi | 34% | 1% |
| Knox County, TX | 25 mi | 27% | 1% |
| Cottle County, TX | 28 mi | 18% | 2% |
| Wilbarger County, TX | 34 mi | 41% | under 1% |
| King County, TX | 34 mi | 13% | under 1% |
| Baylor County, TX | 42 mi | 54% | under 1% |
| Childress County, TX | 44 mi | 12% | 1% |
| Jackson County, OK | 49 mi | 35% | 10% |
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