Smith County, TX Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Smith County, TX

Moderate

Soil across 66% of Smith County, TX comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 4.1% 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 Smith County, TX - never a reading for one specific parcel. A site-specific soil report, usually $1,000-$5,000, is what an engineer would actually pull before designing a foundation on a lot in Smith County.

Smith County: the real numbers

Smith 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.

Smith County's rank among Texas counties

Among the 3,085 rated counties on this site, Smith County, TX ranks 524 most-constrained nationally, and 121 of 253 within Texas. Smith County covers 921 square miles and counts 249,091 residents.

Before you act on this

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Osceola County, IA and Ballard County, KY 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 Knox County, TX and Tom Green County, TX. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.