Zapata County, TX Shrink-Swell Risk

Shrink-swell potential in Zapata County, TX

Moderate

Soil across 68.5% of Zapata County, TX comes back "Moderate" in USDA's shrink-swell data, averaging 3.33% linear extensibility. A real but modest amount of movement - standard foundations usually hold up, but drainage and moisture control around the foundation still matter more than on low-risk soil.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Zapata 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).

Zapata County: the real numbers

Zapata 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, Zapata County, TX ranks 954 most-constrained nationally, and 174 of 253 within Texas. Zapata County, TX is 998 square miles with a population of 13,819.

Before you act on this

Orleans Parish, LA carries this site's most-constrained reading. Clayton County, IA and Delaware County, PA 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 Crosby County, TX and McLennan County, TX. The full underlying dataset is downloadable directly, one row per county.