Hardeman County, Texas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 34% of Hardeman County's mapped land, a higher share than 83% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 1%.
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. 77% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1961.
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 Hardeman County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 33.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 1.3% |
| Septic fields very limited | 82.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.2% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 23.5% |
| Mapped soil | 444,691 acres |
How we count · survey areas TX197 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.2% 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 34% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 34% of Hardeman County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 15.12 in, 10.70 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 25.82 in.
USDA rates 82% 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 43 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 | 82.7% |
| D4 exceptional | 68.5% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Hardeman County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 25.82 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 15.12 in (-10.70) |
| 2025 | 24.43 in (-1.39) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1941: 48.43 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1917: 11.65 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at CROWELL (21 mi away) | 8.2 |
Homes
| Housing units | 1,808 |
| Median year built | 1961 |
| Built before 1980 | 77% |
| Built 2000 or later | 11% |
| Owner-occupied | 74% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $81,900 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Hardeman County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chillicothe | 70% | 1% | 229 |
| Quanah | 82% | 0% | 1,116 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foard County, TX | 23 mi | 49% | 1% |
| Jackson County, OK | 28 mi | 35% | 10% |
| Childress County, TX | 31 mi | 12% | 1% |
| Harmon County, OK | 32 mi | 25% | 2% |
| Wilbarger County, TX | 32 mi | 41% | under 1% |
| Cottle County, TX | 33 mi | 18% | 2% |
| Greer County, OK | 46 mi | 26% | 3% |
| Tillman County, OK | 47 mi | 47% | 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