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Willis, Texas
Inside Willis' city limits, shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 15% of mapped land, the 2nd-highest of 14 cities in Montgomery County. A shallow water table limits basements on 85%, the highest of 14 cities in Montgomery County.
That clay share is close to Montgomery County's 15%. FEMA's flood data list 149 flood losses since 2016 in the 2 ZIP codes overlapping the city. Of its 2,373 homes, 7% were built before 1980; the median dates from 1995.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources · in Montgomery County
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
flood losses since 2016 in 2 overlapping ZIPs
of homes built before 1980
Foundation repair in Willis
Foundation repair in Willis: shrink-swell clay limits slab homes on 15% of Willis' mapped land.
About 1,300 of Willis' 2,373 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 Willis city limits
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 14.8% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 85.2% |
| Septic fields very limited | 94.3% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 4.6% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 14.8% |
| Mapped soil | 3,025 acres |
What the numbers mean here
On 85% of Willis' mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
USDA rates 94% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought in Montgomery County
57.6% of Montgomery 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 Willis. ZIP areas reach past city limits.
| ZIP | Share of city land | Flood losses | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 77378 | 79% | 5 | $115,432 |
| 77318 | 21% | 144 | $7.8 million |
Homes in Willis
| Housing units | 2,373 |
| Median year built | 1995 |
| Built before 1980 | 7% |
| Built 2000 or later | 42% |
| Owner-occupied | 61% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $124,300 |
| Single-family detached | 55% |
Nearby cities
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panorama Village | 4 mi | 0% | 63% |
| New Waverly | 7 mi | 43% | 53% |
| Conroe | 7 mi | 10% | 64% |
| Cut and Shoot | 11 mi | 1% | 49% |
| Montgomery | 13 mi | 81% | 27% |
| Woodloch | 16 mi | 7% | 38% |
| Shenandoah | 17 mi | 0% | 48% |
| Huntsville | 19 mi | 36% | 58% |
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