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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 September 22, 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
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: 27% 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.
Drought in Galveston County
27% of Galveston County is in drought (D1 or worse) on the September 22, 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 (September 22, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status