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League City, Texas
Inside League City's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 42% of mapped land, the 4th-highest of 13 cities in Galveston County. A shallow water table limits basements on 71%.
That clay share is above Galveston County's 23%. FEMA's flood data list 5,827 flood losses since 2016 in the 4 ZIP codes overlapping the city. Of its 44,942 homes, 14% were built before 1980; the median dates from 2003.
Data as of November 3, 2026 · sources · in Galveston County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 4 overlapping ZIPs
of homes built before 1980
Foundation repair in League City
Foundation repair in League City: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 42% of League City's mapped land, more than in 51% of Texas cities.
The city requires a permit for the work.
About 34,700 of League City's 44,942 homes are detached houses.
| City permit | Required. League City lists foundation repairs and re-adjustments among work that requires a permit. (City of League City, Building Department, read October 2, 2026) |
| Permit fee | $150 on the fee schedule in effect from August 1, 2026. (City of League City, Building Department) |
| Contractor registration | Contractors register with the city each year ($150). (City of League City, Building Department) |
| 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 League City city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 42.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 71.4% |
| Septic fields very limited | 82.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 6.9% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 41.8% |
| Mapped soil | 33,993 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Bernard | 24% | 43% |
| Lake Charles | 22% | 97% |
| Leton | 9% | n/a |
| Mocarey | 7% | n/a |
| Verland | 7% | n/a |
| Morey | 6% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 6.9% by land area here, and 42% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 42% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of Galveston County is in drought on the latest map, and 42% of League City's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 71% of League City's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 83% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
League City covers 51.4 square miles of land and counts 44,942 housing units, about 875 per square mile.
75% of League City's occupied homes are owner-occupied, and the median owner-occupied home is valued at $360,000; 58% of all homes in the city date from 2000 or later.
The largest soil series under League City is Bernard, on 24% of the mapped land, followed by Lake Charles at 22%.
USDA's soil survey maps 33,993 acres inside League City's city limits.
Drought in Galveston County
100% of Galveston County is in drought (D1 or worse) on the November 3, 2026 map. County detail.
Flood losses by ZIP code
FEMA flood records since 2016 in the ZIP codes that overlap League City. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77573 | 58% | 1,743 | $165.7 million |
| 77511 | 19% | 974 | $67.4 million |
| 77539 | 14% | 2,778 | $321.8 million |
| 77565 | 2% | 332 | $8.6 million |
Homes in League City
| Housing units | 44,942 |
| Median year built | 2003 |
| Built before 1980 | 14% |
| Built 2000 or later | 58% |
| Owner-occupied | 75% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $360,000 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webster | 3 mi | 56% | 26% |
| Nassau Bay | 4 mi | 31% | 30% |
| Dickinson | 4 mi | 66% | 74% |
| Friendswood | 6 mi | 74% | 49% |
| Kemah | 6 mi | 20% | 93% |
| Clear Lake Shores | 6 mi | 16% | 57% |
| Taylor Lake Village | 7 mi | 41% | 41% |
| El Lago | 7 mi | 47% | 41% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (August 5, 2026) · US Drought Monitor (November 3, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status