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Payne Springs, Texas
Inside Payne Springs' city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 69% of mapped land, the 5th-highest of 19 cities in Henderson County. A shallow water table limits basements on 47%, the 5th-highest of 19 cities in Henderson County.
That clay share is above Henderson County's 25%. FEMA's flood data list 10 flood losses since 2016 in the 2 ZIP codes overlapping the city. Of its 573 homes, 42% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1985.
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 2 overlapping ZIPs
of homes built before 1980
Foundation repair in Payne Springs
Foundation repair in Payne Springs: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 69% of Payne Springs' mapped land, more than in 73% of Texas cities.
About 400 of Payne Springs' 573 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 Payne Springs city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 68.6% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 47.1% |
| Septic fields very limited | 83.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 8.0% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 79.3% |
| Mapped soil | 1,353 acres |
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 8.0% by land area here, and 79% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 69% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of Henderson County is in drought on the latest map, and 69% of Payne Springs' mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 47% of Payne Springs' mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 83% 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 Payne Springs. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75156 | 63% | 9 | $61,885 |
| 75124 | 37% | 1 | $35,428 |
Homes in Payne Springs
| Housing units | 573 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 42% |
| Built 2000 or later | 36% |
| Owner-occupied | 81% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $233,200 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enchanted Oaks | 2 mi | 81% | 10% |
| Eustace | 4 mi | 68% | 40% |
| Gun Barrel City | 5 mi | 69% | 22% |
| Log Cabin | 5 mi | 78% | 13% |
| Caney City | 5 mi | 24% | 64% |
| Tool | 6 mi | 66% | 37% |
| Star Harbor | 6 mi | 52% | 36% |
| Mabank | 7 mi | 73% | 13% |
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