HomeTexasHenderson CountyMurchison
Murchison, Texas
Inside Murchison's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 20% of mapped land. A shallow water table limits basements on 36%.
That clay share is below Henderson County's 25%. FEMA's flood data list 1 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 75778 overlapping the city. Of its 251 homes, 74% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1974.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Henderson 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 Murchison
Foundation repair in Murchison: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 20% of Murchison's mapped land.
About 200 of Murchison's 251 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 Murchison city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 19.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 35.9% |
| Septic fields very limited | 58.1% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 5.3% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 19.5% |
| Mapped soil | 1,015 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Pickton | 17% | n/a |
| Lufkin | 16% | n/a |
| Wolfpen | 15% | n/a |
| Gallime | 12% | n/a |
| Raino | 12% | n/a |
| Cuthbert | 6% | 0% |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 5.3% by land area here, and 20% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 20% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of Henderson County is in drought on the latest map, and 20% of Murchison's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 36% of Murchison's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 58% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Henderson County
100% of Henderson 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 Murchison. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75778 | 99% | 1 | $16,104 |
Homes in Murchison
| Housing units | 251 |
| Median year built | 1974 |
| Built before 1980 | 74% |
| Built 2000 or later | 10% |
| Owner-occupied | 66% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $162,500 |
| Single-family detached | 79% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | 7 mi | 6% | 13% |
| Brownsboro | 9 mi | 0% | 38% |
| Edom | 11 mi | under 1% | 16% |
| Moore Station | 12 mi | 0% | 49% |
| Eustace | 15 mi | 68% | 40% |
| Log Cabin | 16 mi | 78% | 13% |
| Poynor | 17 mi | 3% | 24% |
| Chandler | 17 mi | 4% | 53% |
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