Hardin County, Texas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 12% of Hardin County's mapped land, a higher share than 58% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 67%.
26.6% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map, up from 0% a week earlier. FEMA's flood data list 1,034 flood losses here since 2016, 0% of them in buildings with basements. 33% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1994.
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 Hardin County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 11.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 66.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 20.4% |
| Mapped soil | 575,002 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Sorter | 11% | n/a |
| Dallardsville | 8% | n/a |
| Kirbyville | 8% | n/a |
| Evadale | 7% | n/a |
| Otanya | 6% | n/a |
| Belrose | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas TX199 (2025-09-04)
What the numbers mean here
On 67% of Hardin County's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 45.90 in, 14.39 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 60.29 in.
USDA rates 92% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
26.6% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 41 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 26 weeks, most recently on the September 1, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 49.4% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 26.6% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
1,034 flood losses since 2016, $161.4 million paid. The worst year was 2017, with 851. Foundations of the buildings, where recorded: 91% slabs, under 1% crawl spaces, 9% elevated. Median water depth outside the building: 48 in.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 49 |
| 2017 | 851 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 53 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 39 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 to date | 17 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 60.29 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 45.90 in (-14.39) |
| 2025 | 52.95 in (-7.34) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 2017: 86.54 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1917: 28.95 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at KOUNTZE (6 mi away) | 19.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 25,100 |
| Median year built | 1994 |
| Built before 1980 | 33% |
| Built 2000 or later | 41% |
| Owner-occupied | 82% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $205,700 |
| Single-family detached | 69% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Hardin County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kountze | 0% | 47% | 967 |
| Lumberton | 0% | 57% | 5,969 |
| Rose Hill Acres | 82% | 16% | 165 |
| Silsbee | 1% | 43% | 3,284 |
| Sour Lake | 67% | 58% | 936 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty County, TX | 29 mi | 46% | 76% |
| Tyler County, TX | 30 mi | 18% | 34% |
| Orange County, TX | 33 mi | 26% | 65% |
| Jefferson County, TX | 36 mi | 56% | 66% |
| Jasper County, TX | 37 mi | 15% | 43% |
| Polk County, TX | 41 mi | 23% | 45% |
| Chambers County, TX | 47 mi | 63% | 68% |
| San Jacinto County, TX | 49 mi | 16% | 42% |
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