Red River County, Texas
Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 61% of Red River County's mapped land, a higher share than 94% of US counties. A shallow water table limits basements on 40%.
100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list no flood losses here since 2016. 48% 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 Red River County
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 61.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 39.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 81.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 7.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 61.4% |
| Mapped soil | 675,546 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Woodtell | 12% | 96% |
| Wrightsville | 12% | n/a |
| Annona | 6% | n/a |
| Kaufman | 5% | n/a |
| Kullit | 5% | n/a |
| Ashford | 4% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas TX387 (2025-09-05)
What the numbers mean here
Clay swell averages a linear extensibility of 7.7% by land area here, and 61% of the land reaches USDA's high class (6% or more). Clay like that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, under 61% of the mapped land.
Clay shrinks as it dries: 100% of the county is in drought on the latest map, and 61% of Red River County's mapped land has shrink-swell clay.
On 40% of Red River 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: 36.21 in, 13.55 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 49.76 in.
USDA rates 81% 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 46 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 38 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 | 100% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
FEMA's flood data list no flood losses in Red River County since 2016.
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 49.76 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 36.21 in (-13.55) |
| 2025 | 48.47 in (-1.29) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1905: 74.44 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1910: 25.68 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at IDABEL (25 mi away) | 17.9 |
Homes
| Housing units | 6,194 |
| Median year built | 1981 |
| Built before 1980 | 48% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23% |
| Owner-occupied | 72% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $121,500 |
| Single-family detached | 77% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Cities in Red River County
| City | Expansive clay | High water table | Homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annona | 81% | 62% | 143 |
| Avery | 26% | 36% | 275 |
| Bogata | 34% | 25% | 420 |
| Clarksville | 76% | 13% | 1,669 |
| Detroit | 75% | 36% | 288 |
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titus County, TX | 28 mi | 50% | 50% |
| Lamar County, TX | 30 mi | 66% | 31% |
| Franklin County, TX | 32 mi | 41% | 45% |
| McCurtain County, OK | 38 mi | 37% | 28% |
| Bowie County, TX | 38 mi | 32% | 60% |
| Morris County, TX | 39 mi | 25% | 45% |
| Delta County, TX | 39 mi | 77% | 15% |
| Choctaw County, OK | 40 mi | 47% | 36% |
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