BasementSoil

Foundation and soil movement risk, county by county

Where houses sit on slabs rather than over basements: 1148 counties across 16 states, each with the USDA soil survey values that decide how the ground behaves under a house. Basements are rare in these states, so these pages lead with movement under the slab and the footings. The basement belt is here.

Highest combined risk in our coverage

CountyIndexDominant drainage class
East Feliciana Parish, LA79poorly drained
St. James Parish, LA79poorly drained
Brazoria County, TX79poorly drained
Wharton County, TX79poorly drained
St. Helena Parish, LA78poorly drained
Jasper County, TX78poorly drained
San Jacinto County, TX78poorly drained
West Feliciana Parish, LA77poorly drained
Chambers County, TX77poorly drained
Clay County, AR76poorly drained
Livingston Parish, LA76poorly drained
Jefferson County, MS76poorly drained
Hardin County, TX76poorly drained
Newton County, TX76poorly drained
St. Martin Parish, LA75poorly drained
Coahoma County, MS75poorly drained
Issaquena County, MS75poorly drained
Jefferson County, TX75poorly drained
Orange County, TX75poorly drained
Walker County, TX75poorly drained

Why these twenty, explained

Alabama 67 counties

Alaska 29 counties

Arizona 15 counties

Arkansas 75 counties

California 58 counties

Florida 67 counties

Georgia 159 counties

Hawaii 5 counties

Louisiana 64 counties

Mississippi 82 counties

Nevada 17 counties

New Mexico 33 counties

North Carolina 100 counties

Oklahoma 77 counties

South Carolina 46 counties

Texas 254 counties

Page data updated