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Silsbee, Texas
Inside Silsbee's city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 1% of mapped land, the 3rd-highest of 5 cities in Hardin County. A shallow water table limits basements on 43%, the 4th-highest of 5 cities in Hardin County.
That clay share is below Hardin County's 12%. FEMA's flood data list 95 flood losses since 2016 in ZIP code 77656 overlapping the city. Of its 3,284 homes, 56% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1976.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Hardin 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 Silsbee
Foundation repair in Silsbee: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 1% of Silsbee's mapped land.
About 2,500 of Silsbee's 3,284 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 Silsbee city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.7% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 43.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 91.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.7% |
| Mapped soil | 4,931 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: expansive clay |
|---|---|---|
| Otanya | 32% | n/a |
| Kirbyville | 28% | n/a |
| Silsbee | 8% | n/a |
| Belrose | 8% | n/a |
| Waller | 6% | n/a |
| Dallardsville | 4% | n/a |
What the numbers mean here
On 43% of Silsbee'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 Hardin County
26.6% of Hardin 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 Silsbee. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77656 | 100% | 95 | $5.1 million |
Homes in Silsbee
| Housing units | 3,284 |
| Median year built | 1976 |
| Built before 1980 | 56% |
| Built 2000 or later | 27% |
| Owner-occupied | 68% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $148,400 |
| Single-family detached | 76% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumberton | 6 mi | 0% | 57% |
| Kountze | 9 mi | 0% | 47% |
| Rose Hill Acres | 11 mi | 82% | 16% |
| Pine Forest | 14 mi | 41% | 55% |
| Bevil Oaks | 15 mi | 25% | 80% |
| Beaumont | 18 mi | 28% | 28% |
| Rose City | 18 mi | 18% | 42% |
| Vidor | 19 mi | 38% | 52% |
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