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Giddings, Texas
Inside Giddings' city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 86% of mapped land, higher than 94% of Texas cities. A shallow water table limits basements on 48%.
That clay share is above Lee County's 48%. FEMA's flood data list 15 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 78942 overlapping the city. Of its 2,354 homes, 41% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1984.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Lee 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 Giddings
Foundation repair in Giddings: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 86% of Giddings' mapped land, more than in 94% of Texas cities.
About 1,800 of Giddings' 2,354 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 Giddings city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 86.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 48.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 8.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 86.3% |
| Mapped soil | 3,399 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Tabor | 38% | n/a |
| Zack | 21% | n/a |
| Gredge | 15% | n/a |
| Boonville | 10% | n/a |
| Axtell | 5% | 89% |
| Zulch | 4% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 8.3% by land area here, and 86% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 86% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of Lee County is in drought on the latest map, and 86% of Giddings' mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 48% of Giddings' 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 Lee County
100% of Lee 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 Giddings. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78942 | 100% | 15 | $432,090 |
Homes in Giddings
| Housing units | 2,354 |
| Median year built | 1984 |
| Built before 1980 | 41% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 65% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $252,300 |
| Single-family detached | 78% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carmine | 14 mi | 96% | 6% |
| Round Top | 16 mi | 24% | 7% |
| Lexington | 17 mi | 46% | 4% |
| Smithville | 18 mi | 20% | 5% |
| La Grange | 19 mi | 64% | 4% |
| Burton | 19 mi | 48% | 0% |
| Bastrop | 24 mi | 26% | 7% |
| Fayetteville | 24 mi | 77% | 12% |
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