Sealy, Texas
Inside Sealy's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 10% of mapped land. A shallow water table limits basements on 32%, the 3rd-highest of 7 cities in Austin County.
That clay share is below Austin County's 38%. FEMA's flood data list 179 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 77474 overlapping the city. Of its 2,946 homes, 38% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1985.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Austin 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 Sealy
Foundation repair in Sealy: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 10% of Sealy's mapped land.
About 1,600 of Sealy's 2,946 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 Sealy city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 9.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 31.7% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.2% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 3.7% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 10.4% |
| Mapped soil | 7,583 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Katy | 28% | 0% |
| Wockley | 22% | n/a |
| Hockley | 18% | n/a |
| Monaville | 10% | n/a |
| Lake Charles | 3% | 97% |
| Cyfair | 3% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
On 32% of Sealy's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 91% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Austin County
96.2% of Austin 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 Sealy. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77474 | 100% | 179 | $8.7 million |
Homes in Sealy
| Housing units | 2,946 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 38% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 65% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $261,100 |
| Single-family detached | 56% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Felipe | 4 mi | 56% | 36% |
| South Frydek | 5 mi | 90% | 12% |
| Brazos Country | 7 mi | 15% | 21% |
| Wallis | 11 mi | 86% | 61% |
| Pattison | 12 mi | 17% | 26% |
| Brookshire | 13 mi | 2% | 18% |
| Simonton | 13 mi | 41% | 2% |
| Bellville | 14 mi | 45% | 26% |
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