Paris, Texas
Inside Paris' city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 66% of mapped land, the 4th-highest of 7 cities in Lamar County. A shallow water table limits basements on 27%, the 4th-highest of 7 cities in Lamar County.
That clay share is close to Lamar County's 66%. FEMA's flood data list 86 flood losses since 2016 in the 2 ZIP codes overlapping the city. Of its 11,531 homes, 50% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1980.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Lamar 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 Paris
Foundation repair in Paris: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 66% of Paris' mapped land, more than in 71% of Texas cities.
About 8,100 of Paris' 11,531 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 Paris city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 66.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 26.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 86.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 77.1% |
| Urban land, not rated | 5.7% |
| Mapped soil | 23,708 acres |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.7% by land area here, and 77% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 66% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of Lamar County is in drought on the latest map, and 66% of Paris' mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 27% of Paris' mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 86% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Lamar County
100% of Lamar 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 Paris. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75460 | 78% | 76 | $2.0 million |
| 75462 | 23% | 10 | $51,469 |
Homes in Paris
| Housing units | 11,531 |
| Median year built | 1980 |
| Built before 1980 | 50% |
| Built 2000 or later | 21% |
| Owner-occupied | 48% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $150,000 |
| Single-family detached | 70% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reno | 4 mi | 63% | 42% |
| Toco | 6 mi | 86% | 0% |
| Sun Valley | 7 mi | 28% | 90% |
| Blossom | 9 mi | 58% | 57% |
| Roxton | 13 mi | 84% | 13% |
| Detroit | 16 mi | 75% | 36% |
| Deport | 16 mi | 84% | 10% |
| Honey Grove | 22 mi | 72% | 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