HomeTexasHall CountyMemphis
Memphis, Texas
Inside Memphis' city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 58% of mapped land, the highest of 4 cities in Hall County. A shallow water table limits basements on 0%.
That clay share is above Hall County's 1%. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 79245 overlapping the city. Of its 1,097 homes, 89% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1962.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Hall 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 Memphis
Foundation repair in Memphis: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 58% of Memphis' mapped land, more than in 65% of Texas cities.
About 1,000 of Memphis' 1,097 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 Memphis city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 58.3% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 0.0% |
| Septic fields very limited | 72.8% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.8% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 58.3% |
| Mapped soil | 1,434 acres |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 4.8% by land area here, and 58% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 58% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of Hall County is in drought on the latest map, and 58% of Memphis' mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
USDA rates 73% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Hall County
100% of Hall 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 Memphis. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 79245 | 100% | 1 | $1,761 |
Homes in Memphis
| Housing units | 1,097 |
| Median year built | 1962 |
| Built before 1980 | 89% |
| Built 2000 or later | 5% |
| Owner-occupied | 73% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $77,300 |
| Single-family detached | 91% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeview | 10 mi | 0% | 0% |
| Hedley | 12 mi | 4% | under 1% |
| Estelline | 14 mi | under 1% | under 1% |
| Wellington | 21 mi | under 1% | 0% |
| Clarendon | 25 mi | 5% | 3% |
| Childress | 25 mi | 0% | 0% |
| Dodson | 30 mi | 0% | 1% |
| Howardwick | 30 mi | 4% | under 1% |
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