HomeTexasSan Jacinto CountyShepherd
Shepherd, Texas
Inside Shepherd's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 7% of mapped land, the 2nd-highest of 3 cities in San Jacinto County. A shallow water table limits basements on 50%, the 2nd-highest of 3 cities in San Jacinto County.
That clay share is below San Jacinto County's 16%. FEMA's flood data list 43 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 77371 overlapping the city. Of its 1,078 homes, 47% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1983.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in San Jacinto 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 Shepherd
Foundation repair in Shepherd: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 7% of Shepherd's mapped land.
About 600 of Shepherd's 1,078 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 Shepherd city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 6.5% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 49.6% |
| Septic fields very limited | 78.4% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 2.1% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 7.4% |
| Mapped soil | 3,915 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Segno | 22% | n/a |
| Splendora | 15% | n/a |
| Choates | 8% | n/a |
| Boykin | 7% | n/a |
| Waller | 6% | n/a |
| Atasco | 6% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
On 50% of Shepherd's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 78% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in San Jacinto County
92.7% of San Jacinto 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 Shepherd. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77371 | 100% | 43 | $1.8 million |
Homes in Shepherd
| Housing units | 1,078 |
| Median year built | 1983 |
| Built before 1980 | 47% |
| Built 2000 or later | 24% |
| Owner-occupied | 66% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $157,300 |
| Single-family detached | 55% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goodrich | 9 mi | 71% | 54% |
| North Cleveland | 10 mi | 14% | 31% |
| Coldspring | 10 mi | 2% | 5% |
| Cleveland | 11 mi | 1% | 74% |
| Livingston | 16 mi | 55% | 44% |
| Splendora | 20 mi | 1% | 53% |
| Plum Grove | 21 mi | 14% | 50% |
| Point Blank | 22 mi | 63% | 67% |
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