Marion County, Texas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 4% of Marion County's mapped land. A shallow water table limits basements on 38%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 16 flood losses here since 2016. 49% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1981.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, October 13, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Marion County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 3.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 37.8% |
| Septic fields very limited | 71.5% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 6.5% |
| Mapped soil | 269,613 acres |
How we count · survey areas TX616 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
On 38% of Marion County's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 36.45 in, 13.68 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 50.13 in.
USDA rates 72% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
100% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 40 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 31 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 100% |
| D2 severe or worse | 100% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 87.7% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
16 flood losses since 2016, $328,479 paid. The worst year was 2016, with 9.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 50.13 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.45 in (-13.68) |
| 2025 | 49.22 in (-0.91) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1905: 79.04 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1956: 28.44 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at LINDEN (15 mi away) | 17 |
Homes
| Housing units | 5,623 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 49% |
| Built 2000 or later | 25% |
| Owner-occupied | 79% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $101,500 |
| Single-family detached | 66% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Marion County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | 4% | 68% | 1,144 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County, TX | 17 mi | 24% | 53% |
| Cass County, TX | 20 mi | 4% | 37% |
| Morris County, TX | 31 mi | 25% | 45% |
| Caddo Parish, LA | 31 mi | 31% | 50% |
| Upshur County, TX | 34 mi | 2% | 38% |
| Gregg County, TX | 34 mi | 9% | 43% |
| Camp County, TX | 38 mi | 9% | 56% |
| Bossier Parish, LA | 43 mi | 47% | 58% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 5, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status