Best Soil for Gardening in Texas
Texas has 232 USDA soil survey areas, and they vary considerably in how friendly the ground is for growing things. We ranked every survey area by the percentage of well-drained soil — the single most important soil property for most garden plants.
At the top, Bandera County, Texas has 100% well-drained soils — conditions where most vegetables, herbs, and flowers can thrive with basic soil preparation. At the other end, Chambers County, Texas comes in at 7%, meaning more of the landscape has drainage challenges that may require raised beds, soil amendments, or careful site selection for a productive garden.
Remember that these are area-wide averages. Even in a low-ranking survey area, individual properties can have excellent garden soil. Look up your specific address for exact conditions.
| # | Survey Area | Well-Drained Soils | Dominant Drainage | Dominant Soil Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bandera County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 2 | Bell County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 3 | Callahan County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 4 | Collin County, Texas | 100% | Moderately well drained | Vertisols |
| 5 | Comanche County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 6 | Eastland County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 7 | Gillespie County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 8 | Glasscock County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 9 | Grayson County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 10 | Irion County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 11 | Jack County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 12 | Jeff Davis County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 13 | Kendall County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 14 | Kerr County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 15 | Kimble County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 16 | McCulloch County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 17 | Maverick County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 18 | Menard County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 19 | Schleicher County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 20 | Shackelford County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 21 | Stephens County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 22 | Sterling County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 23 | Sutton County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 24 | Taylor County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 25 | Terrell County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 26 | Williamson County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 27 | Wise County, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 28 | Comal and Hays Counties, Texas | 100% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 29 | Archer County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 30 | Palo Pinto County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 31 | Navarro County, Texas | 99% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 32 | San Saba County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 33 | Coleman County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 34 | Johnson County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 35 | Denton County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 36 | Dallas County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 37 | Gaines County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 38 | Dimmit and Zavala Counties, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 39 | Tarrant County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 40 | Coryell County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 41 | Duval County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 42 | Brown and Mills Counties, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 43 | Hamilton County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 44 | Yoakum County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 45 | Crockett County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 46 | Andrews County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 47 | Edwards and Real Counties, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 48 | Webb County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 49 | Concho County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 50 | Reagan and Upton Counties, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 51 | Clay County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 52 | McMullen County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 53 | Lampasas County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 54 | Blanco and Burnet Counties, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 55 | King County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 56 | Travis County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 57 | Kinney County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 58 | McLennan County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 59 | Tom Green County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 60 | Nolan County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 61 | Karnes County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 62 | Val Verde County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 63 | Milam County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 64 | Brewster County, Texas (Main Part) | 99% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 65 | Culberson County, Main Part, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 66 | Throckmorton County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 67 | Scurry County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 68 | Borden County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 69 | Mason County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 70 | Hood and Somervell Counties, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 71 | Frio County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 72 | Parker County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 73 | Terry County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 74 | Kaufman and Rockwall Counties, Texas | 99% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 75 | Ellis County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Vertisols |
| 76 | Pecos County, Texas | 99% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 77 | Foard County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 78 | Runnels County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 79 | Fisher County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 80 | Guadalupe County, Texas | 98% | Moderately well drained | Vertisols |
| 81 | Uvalde County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 82 | Dallam County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 83 | Haskell County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 84 | Martin County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 85 | Reeves County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 86 | Hansford County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 87 | Deaf Smith County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 88 | Limestone County, Texas | 98% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 89 | Dickens County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 90 | Coke County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 91 | Midland County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 92 | Hockley County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 93 | Hill County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 94 | Starr County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Entisols |
| 95 | Young County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 96 | Big Bend National Park, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 97 | Sherman County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 98 | Parmer County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 99 | Wichita County, Texas | 98% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 100 | Stonewall County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 101 | Mitchell County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 102 | Falls County, Texas | 97% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 103 | Zapata County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 104 | Hidalgo County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 105 | Liveoak County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 106 | Lynn County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 107 | Baylor County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 108 | Lubbock County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 109 | Randall County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 110 | Llano County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 111 | Knox County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 112 | Presidio County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 113 | Howard County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 114 | Dawson County, Texas | 97% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 115 | Caldwell County, Texas | 96% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 116 | Cochran County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 117 | Cottle County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 118 | Motley County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 119 | Montague County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 120 | La Salle County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Vertisols |
| 121 | Castro County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 122 | Armstrong County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 123 | Hartley County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 124 | Kent County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 125 | Carson County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 126 | Washington County, Texas | 96% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 127 | Medina County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 128 | Bastrop County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 129 | Ochiltree County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 130 | Swisher County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 131 | Hardeman County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 132 | Crosby County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 133 | Erath County, Texas | 96% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 134 | Childress County, Texas | 95% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 135 | Hale County, Texas | 95% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 136 | Gonzales County, Texas | 95% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 137 | Moore County, Texas | 95% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 138 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas | 95% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 139 | Collingsworth County, Texas | 95% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 140 | Lee County, Texas | 95% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 141 | Hunt County, Texas | 94% | Moderately well drained | Vertisols |
| 142 | Wilbarger County, Texas | 94% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 143 | Bexar County, Texas | 94% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 144 | Fayette County, Texas | 94% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 145 | Oldham County, Texas | 94% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 146 | Floyd County, Texas | 94% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 147 | Burleson County, Texas | 94% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 148 | Briscoe County, Texas | 94% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 149 | Bee County, Texas | 94% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 150 | Jones County, Texas | 94% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 151 | Ward County, Texas | 94% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 152 | Hudspeth County, Main Part, Texas | 94% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 153 | Robertson County, Texas | 94% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 154 | Garza County, Texas | 93% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 155 | Bosque County, Texas | 93% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 156 | Hall County, Texas | 93% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 157 | Jackson County, Texas | 92% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 158 | Potter County, Texas | 92% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 159 | Jim Hogg County, Texas | 92% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 160 | Loving and Winkler Counties, Texas | 92% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 161 | Cooke County, Texas | 91% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 162 | Lamb County, Texas | 91% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 163 | Donley County, Texas | 91% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 164 | Bailey County, Texas | 90% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 165 | Wheeler County, Texas | 90% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 166 | Lipscomb County, Texas | 90% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 167 | Fannin County, Texas | 89% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 168 | Lamar and Delta Counties, Texas | 89% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 169 | Goliad County, Texas | 88% | Moderately well drained | Mollisols |
| 170 | Atascosa County, Texas | 88% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 171 | Rusk County, Texas | 87% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 172 | Harrison County, Texas | 87% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 173 | Lavaca County, Texas | 86% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 174 | Gray County, Texas | 86% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 175 | Freestone County, Texas | 86% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 176 | Colorado County, Texas | 86% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 177 | Leon County, Texas | 85% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 178 | Upshur and Gregg Counties, Texas | 85% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 179 | Brazos County, Texas | 85% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 180 | Nacogdoches County, Texas | 84% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 181 | Smith County, Texas | 84% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 182 | San Augustine and Sabine Counties, Texas | 83% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 183 | Hopkins and Rains Counties, Texas | 83% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 184 | DeWitt County, Texas | 83% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 185 | Grimes County, Texas | 83% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 186 | El Paso County, Texas (Main Part) | 83% | Well drained | Entisols |
| 187 | Victoria County, Texas | 82% | Moderately well drained | Mollisols |
| 188 | Roberts County, Texas | 82% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 189 | Walker County, Texas | 82% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 190 | Nueces County, Texas | 82% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 191 | Marion and Cass Counties, Texas | 82% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 192 | Van Zandt County, Texas | 81% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 193 | Anderson County, Texas | 81% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 194 | Madison County, Texas | 81% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 195 | Shelby County, Texas | 80% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 196 | Henderson County, Texas | 79% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 197 | Cherokee County, Texas | 78% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 198 | Houston County, Texas | 78% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 199 | Ector and Crane Counties, Texas | 78% | Well drained | Aridisols |
| 200 | Wilson County, Texas | 78% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 201 | Refugio County, Texas | 78% | Well drained | Vertisols |
| 202 | Hemphill County, Texas | 77% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 203 | Brooks County, Texas | 75% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 204 | Camp, Franklin, Morris, and Titus Counties, Texas | 75% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 205 | San Patricio and Aransas Counties, Texas | 74% | Well drained | Vertisols |
| 206 | Angelina County, Texas | 74% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 207 | Hutchinson County, Texas | 73% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 208 | Austin and Waller Counties, Texas | 72% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 209 | Wharton County, Texas | 71% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 210 | Jim Wells County, Texas | 70% | Well drained | Mollisols |
| 211 | Panola County, Texas | 70% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 212 | Red River County, Texas | 69% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 213 | Tyler County, Texas | 68% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 214 | Wood County, Texas | 67% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 215 | Matagorda County, Texas | 66% | Moderately well drained | Vertisols |
| 216 | Bowie County, Texas | 65% | Moderately well drained | Ultisols |
| 217 | Cameron County, Texas | 65% | Moderately well drained | Mollisols |
| 218 | Trinity County, Texas | 64% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 219 | Willacy County, Texas | 60% | Moderately well drained | Mollisols |
| 220 | Fort Bend County, Texas | 57% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 221 | Brazoria County, Texas | 56% | Moderately well drained | Entisols |
| 222 | Kenedy and Kleberg Counties, Texas | 54% | Moderately well drained | Entisols |
| 223 | Polk and San Jacinto Counties, Texas | 54% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 224 | Jasper and Newton Counties, Texas | 51% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 225 | Calhoun County, Texas | 50% | Moderately well drained | Entisols |
| 226 | Montgomery County, Texas | 48% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 227 | Hardin County, Texas | 31% | Poorly drained | Alfisols |
| 228 | Harris County, Texas | 27% | Somewhat poorly drained | Alfisols |
| 229 | Galveston County, Texas | 22% | Somewhat poorly drained | Entisols |
| 230 | Liberty County, Texas | 21% | Somewhat poorly drained | Alfisols |
| 231 | Jefferson and Orange Counties, Texas | 7% | Somewhat poorly drained | Alfisols |
| 232 | Chambers County, Texas | 7% | Somewhat poorly drained | Alfisols |