Brazos County, TX Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Brazos County, TX

Moderate

Soil across 46% of Brazos County, TX comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 5.81% linear extensibility. That's a middle reading: not the sharp swings that crack a foundation outright, but enough that grading and drainage are worth getting right.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Brazos County, TX - never a reading for one specific parcel. The real answer for one lot is still a site-specific geotechnical report, running about $1,000-$5,000 (typically near $2,700).

Brazos County: the real numbers

Brazos County's soil reading points toward standard foundation practice as the likely outcome, not the exception. A geotechnical report runs $1,000-$5,000, typically around $2,700. Foundation repair, if a specific lot turns out to differ from the county average, runs $5,000-$15,000.

Where this sits nationally

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Brazos County, TX ranks 154 most-constrained nationally, and 51 of 253 within Texas. Brazos County covers 586 square miles and counts 249,624 residents.

For contrast

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Ouray County, CO and West Baton Rouge Parish, LA are worth a look for comparison.

How this reading is built, and its real limits · Moisture management: the cheap fix that works on any soil

Elsewhere in Texas

Every county in Texas is on this site, including Wharton County, TX and Dawson County, TX. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.