HomeTexasCameron CountyLaguna Vista
Laguna Vista, Texas
Inside Laguna Vista's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 34% of mapped land. A shallow water table limits basements on 64%, the highest of 19 cities in Cameron County.
That clay share is close to Cameron County's 29%. FEMA's flood data list 22 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 78578 overlapping the city. Of its 1,924 homes, 11% were built before 1980; the median dates from 2001.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Cameron 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 Laguna Vista
Foundation repair in Laguna Vista: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 34% of Laguna Vista's mapped land.
About 1,200 of Laguna Vista's 1,924 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 Laguna Vista city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 33.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 63.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 36.8% |
| Urban land, not rated | 1.1% |
| Mapped soil | 3,162 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Lomalta | 24% | n/a |
| Sejita | 19% | n/a |
| Laredo | 19% | 0% |
| Point Isabel | 13% | n/a |
| Chargo | 11% | n/a |
| Barrada | 4% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.8% by land area here, and 37% 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: 83.8% of Cameron County is in drought on the latest map, and 34% of Laguna Vista's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 64% of Laguna Vista'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 Cameron County
83.8% of Cameron 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 Laguna Vista. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78578 | 100% | 22 | $239,676 |
Homes in Laguna Vista
| Housing units | 1,924 |
| Median year built | 2001 |
| Built before 1980 | 11% |
| Built 2000 or later | 56% |
| Owner-occupied | 84% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $255,900 |
| Single-family detached | 60% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Isabel | 3 mi | 7% | 54% |
| Bayview | 7 mi | 27% | 3% |
| South Padre Island | 8 mi | 0% | 50% |
| Starbase | 11 mi | 8% | 49% |
| Los Fresnos | 12 mi | 45% | 10% |
| Indian Lake | 13 mi | 15% | 0% |
| Brownsville | 14 mi | 41% | 31% |
| Rancho Viejo | 17 mi | 26% | 5% |
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