Garza County, Texas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 32% of Garza County's mapped land, a higher share than 82% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 2%.
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. 57% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1973.
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 Garza County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 31.9% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 2.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 63.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 23.0% |
| Mapped soil | 573,344 acres |
How we count · survey areas TX169 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.3% by land area here, and 23% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 32% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 32% of Garza County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 9.80 in, 10.76 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 20.56 in.
USDA rates 63% 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 46 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 37 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 | 51.2% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Garza County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 20.56 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 9.80 in (-10.76) |
| 2025 | 16.98 in (-3.58) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1941: 40.10 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 2011: 5.83 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at POST (4 mi away) | 6.7 |
Homes
| Housing units | 2,190 |
| Median year built | 1973 |
| Built before 1980 | 57% |
| Built 2000 or later | 19% |
| Owner-occupied | 71% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $77,800 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Garza County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post | 11% | 0% | 1,580 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crosby County, TX | 29 mi | 54% | 4% |
| Lynn County, TX | 30 mi | 9% | 3% |
| Kent County, TX | 31 mi | 12% | 1% |
| Borden County, TX | 32 mi | 38% | 1% |
| Scurry County, TX | 38 mi | 19% | 1% |
| Dickens County, TX | 42 mi | 11% | 1% |
| Lubbock County, TX | 42 mi | 42% | 4% |
| Dawson County, TX | 48 mi | 4% | 2% |
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