Jefferson Parish, LA Shrink-Swell Risk

Jefferson Parish, LA's soil, for shrink-swell risk

High

Jefferson Parish, LA: USDA's soil survey rates 46% of the county "High" for shrink-swell potential (6.92% linear extensibility). Ground like this needs active moisture control to keep a conventional foundation from cracking - it's not automatic either way.

What Jefferson Parish's reading doesn't cover

Two lots a mile apart in Jefferson Parish can carry different soil, even though they share one countywide reading. The real answer for one lot is still a site-specific geotechnical report, running about $1,000-$5,000 (typically near $2,700).

What it costs to find out, versus to ignore it

Given Jefferson Parish's rating, spending a few thousand now is the way to avoid spending tens of thousands later. The report ($1,000-$5,000) is what tells you whether Jefferson Parish's county-level reading applies to your lot; the repair ($5,000-$15,000) is what it costs if you skip that and find out from the cracks instead.

Jefferson Parish's rank among Louisiana counties

Nationally, Jefferson Parish, LA is the 80-most-constrained of 3,085 rated counties for shrink-swell soil. Within Louisiana alone it ranks 26 of 64. Jefferson Parish covers 301 square miles and counts 427,253 residents.

Before you act on this

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Gray County, TX and Jackson County, SD are worth a look for comparison.

How this reading is built, and its real limits · The warning signs of expansive-clay damage, explained

More of Louisiana

Every county in Louisiana is on this site, including Natchitoches Parish, LA and Lafourche Parish, LA. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.