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Magnolia, Texas
Inside Magnolia's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2% of mapped land. A shallow water table limits basements on 75%, the 4th-highest of 14 cities in Montgomery County.
That clay share is below Montgomery County's 15%. FEMA's flood data list 668 flood losses since 2016 in the 2 ZIP codes overlapping the city. Of its 1,820 homes, 20% were built before 1980; the median dates from 2008.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Montgomery County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 2 overlapping ZIPs
of homes built before 1980
Foundation repair in Magnolia
Foundation repair in Magnolia: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 2% of Magnolia's mapped land.
About 1,200 of Magnolia's 1,820 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 Magnolia city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 1.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 75.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 95.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 1.7% |
| Mapped soil | 3,313 acres |
What the numbers mean here
On 75% of Magnolia's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 95% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Montgomery County
57.6% of Montgomery 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 Magnolia. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77354 | 75% | 355 | $30.6 million |
| 77355 | 25% | 313 | $20.4 million |
Homes in Magnolia
| Housing units | 1,820 |
| Median year built | 2008 |
| Built before 1980 | 20% |
| Built 2000 or later | 63% |
| Owner-occupied | 64% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $322,800 |
| Single-family detached | 68% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stagecoach | 5 mi | 11% | 75% |
| Todd Mission | 7 mi | 0% | 94% |
| Tomball | 11 mi | 1% | 41% |
| Plantersville | 11 mi | 19% | 77% |
| Montgomery | 13 mi | 81% | 27% |
| Waller | 15 mi | 2% | 59% |
| Shenandoah | 17 mi | 0% | 48% |
| Conroe | 17 mi | 10% | 64% |
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