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Manvel, Texas
Inside Manvel's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 70% of mapped land, higher than 74% of Texas cities. A shallow water table limits basements on 47%.
That clay share is above Brazoria County's 64%. FEMA's flood data list 231 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 77578 overlapping the city. Of its 5,283 homes, 14% were built before 1980; the median dates from 2012.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Brazoria 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 Manvel
Foundation repair in Manvel: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 70% of Manvel's mapped land, more than in 74% of Texas cities.
About 4,800 of Manvel's 5,283 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 Manvel city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 69.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 47.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 87.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 9.4% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 68.7% |
| Mapped soil | 17,491 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles | 51% | 97% |
| Bernard | 28% | 43% |
| Edna | 13% | n/a |
| Leton | 2% | n/a |
| Verland | 2% | n/a |
| Aris | 1% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 9.4% by land area here, and 69% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 70% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of Brazoria County is in drought on the latest map, and 70% of Manvel's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 47% of Manvel's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 88% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Brazoria County
100% of Brazoria 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 Manvel. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77578 | 87% | 231 | $14.4 million |
Homes in Manvel
| Housing units | 5,283 |
| Median year built | 2012 |
| Built before 1980 | 14% |
| Built 2000 or later | 76% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $338,700 |
| Single-family detached | 91% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Colony | 5 mi | 76% | 28% |
| Pearland | 5 mi | 70% | 36% |
| Arcola | 6 mi | 80% | 23% |
| Brookside Village | 8 mi | 69% | 56% |
| Sandy Point | 9 mi | 74% | 34% |
| Alvin | 10 mi | 65% | 48% |
| Friendswood | 10 mi | 74% | 49% |
| Hillcrest Village | 11 mi | 48% | 78% |
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