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Friendswood, Texas
Inside Friendswood's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 74% of mapped land, the highest of 13 cities in Galveston County. A shallow water table limits basements on 49%.
That clay share is above Galveston County's 23%. FEMA's flood data list 1,905 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 77546 overlapping the city. Of its 15,553 homes, 30% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1991.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Galveston 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 Friendswood
Foundation repair in Friendswood: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 74% of Friendswood's mapped land, more than in 78% of Texas cities.
About 12,900 of Friendswood's 15,553 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 Friendswood city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 73.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 49.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 10.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 73.7% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.0% |
| Mapped soil | 13,157 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles | 44% | 97% |
| Bernard | 21% | 43% |
| Edna | 8% | n/a |
| Verland | 7% | n/a |
| Bacliff | 5% | n/a |
| Kemah | 4% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 10.0% by land area here, and 74% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 74% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of Galveston County is in drought on the latest map, and 74% of Friendswood's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 49% of Friendswood's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 86% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Galveston County
100% of Galveston 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 Friendswood. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77546 | 97% | 1,905 | $302.3 million |
Homes in Friendswood
| Housing units | 15,553 |
| Median year built | 1991 |
| Built before 1980 | 30% |
| Built 2000 or later | 33% |
| Owner-occupied | 77% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $420,100 |
| Single-family detached | 83% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webster | 5 mi | 56% | 26% |
| League City | 6 mi | 42% | 71% |
| Alvin | 6 mi | 65% | 48% |
| Nassau Bay | 7 mi | 31% | 30% |
| Pearland | 8 mi | 70% | 36% |
| Hillcrest Village | 8 mi | 48% | 78% |
| Brookside Village | 9 mi | 69% | 56% |
| Dickinson | 10 mi | 66% | 74% |
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