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Upshur County, Texas

Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 2% of Upshur County's mapped land. A shallow water table limits basements on 38%.

100% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 3 flood losses here since 2016. 38% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1989.

Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources

2%

expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes

38%

high water table: limits basements

100%

in drought, October 13, 2026

38%

of homes built before 1980

Soil under Upshur County

Expansive clay (limits slab homes)2.4%
High water table (limits basements)38.3%
Septic fields very limited81.6%
Clay swell (LEP, by area)2.4%
High-swell land (LEP 6%+)3.7%
Mapped soil379,316 acres
Soil seriesShare hereSeries nationally: expansive clay
Cuthbert19%0%
Bowie19%0%
Lilbert13%0%
Kirvin9%n/a
Iulus7%n/a
Tenaha6%n/a
Camp County: 9%Gregg County: 9%Wood County: 18%Morris County: 25%Smith County: 3%Titus County: 50%Marion County: 4%Franklin County: 41%Upshur County CampGreggWoodMorrisSmithTitusMarionFranklinUpshur
Upshur County (heavy outline) and nearby counties, shaded by expansive clay share.under 10%10-25%25-40%40-60%60%+

How we count · survey areas TX608 (2025-09-05)

What the numbers mean here

On 38% of Upshur 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: 30.58 in, 17.44 in below the 1991-2020 average year of 48.02 in.

USDA rates 82% 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 44 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 31 weeks, most recently on the October 13, 2026 map.

October 21, 2025Share of area in drought, weeklyOctober 13, 2026
Category, October 13, 2026Share of county
D0 abnormally dry or worse100%
D1 moderate drought or worse100%
D2 severe or worse100%
D3 extreme or worse78.4%
D4 exceptional0%

Flood losses since 2016

3 flood losses since 2016, $89,031 paid. The worst year was 2025, with 2.

YearFlood losses
20161
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20252
2026 to date0

Rain

Average year, 1991-202048.02 in
12 months to August 202630.58 in (-17.44)
202546.51 in (-1.51)
Wettest year since 18952015: 74.47 in
Driest year since 18952005: 24.73 in
Days with 1 inch or more, normal at DAINGERFIELD 9 S (18 mi away)15.5

Homes

Housing units17,519
Median year built1989
Built before 198038%
Built 2000 or later36%
Owner-occupied81%
Median value, owner-occupied$167,800
Single-family detached72%

What repairs cost

Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.

WorkRangeSource
Foundation repair, US $2,200 to $8,200 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Pier-and-beam repair, US $2,000 to $15,000 Fixr, January 27, 2026
Foundation inspection, US $300 to $600 Fixr, January 31, 2025

Cities in Upshur County

CityExpansive clayHigh water tableHomes
Big Sandy0%40%636
East Mountain0%34%405
Gilmer0%27%2,006
Ore City0%49%331
Union Grove1%31%248

Nearby counties

PlaceDistanceExpansive clayHigh water table
Camp County, TX 17 mi 9% 56%
Gregg County, TX 19 mi 9% 43%
Wood County, TX 26 mi 18% 36%
Morris County, TX 29 mi 25% 45%
Smith County, TX 31 mi 3% 23%
Titus County, TX 33 mi 50% 50%
Marion County, TX 34 mi 4% 38%
Franklin County, TX 34 mi 41% 45%

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