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Buying land in Bexar County, Texas: what to check

Bexar County covers 1,240 square miles of land and 16 of water in Texas, with about 2,127,737 residents in 2024 (up 5.9% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 53% of its land as rural and 95% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 31% of the county's land. Below: how much of Bexar County floods, what its soils allow, what farmland is worth and how often it's in drought, from free public data with every source linked.

Check a location in Bexar CountySee a sample report

Bexar County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

27%

Above the state's county median (2.4%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

under 1%

About the state's county median (under 1%)

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

94%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$7,540/acre

Above the state's county median ($2,782)

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

67%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

53%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Bexar County

Ordered by what Bexar County's numbers point to. Every parcel differs, so treat this as where to look first.

  1. 1.Put flood checks first in Bexar County

    27% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 5.6% of its mapped soils flood occasionally or frequently. FEMA rates Bexar County's river-flooding risk very high.

    Look up the FEMA flood zone at the pin, not the parcel's address. If any of the land is in zone A or V, price flood insurance before you offer, ask for an elevation certificate, and check whether the access road floods too.

    Guide: Flood zones before buying land

  2. 2.Prove the water supply before you buy

    At least half of Bexar County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 67% of the 262 weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps from 2021 to 2026. Texas allocates water by permit or water right, so a well or pond isn't automatic.

    Ask whether the land has a public water connection, an existing well (and its log and yield), or neighbors' well depths from the state well database. For a new well, check permits and typical depth with the state agency first.

    Guide: Wells, public water and water rights

  3. 3.Budget for a perc test and maybe an engineered septic

    USDA rates 94% of Bexar County's mapped soils "very limited" for conventional septic absorption fields and 0% "not limited".

    Without city sewer you need a septic permit from the county or state health department. Make the offer contingent on a passing soil or perc test; mound and aerobic systems can cost several times a conventional one.

    Guide: Perc tests and septic systems

  4. 4.Check wildfire exposure and insurance

    FEMA rates Bexar County's wildfire risk relatively moderate, and 10% of the county's area is in the wildfire exposure zone the National Risk Index uses.

    Ask an insurer for a quote early; some carriers won't write new policies in high-hazard areas. Check access for fire trucks, nearby fire stations and the vegetation around the building site.

    Guide: Wildfire risk for rural land

  5. 5.Check the soils if you plan to farm, graze or garden

    Farm real estate in Bexar County averaged $7,540 an acre including buildings in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and 40% of its mapped soils are prime or of statewide importance.

    Compare the asking price with recent sales of similar tracts, not the county average, which mixes cropland, pasture, timber and homesites. If an ag tax valuation applies, ask what the rollback taxes would be if you change the use.

    Guide: Land due diligence checklist

  6. 6.Check slope at the building site

    9.8% of Bexar County's mapped soils have an average slope over 15% (USDA SSURGO).

    Steep ground means grading, retaining walls, longer driveways and erosion control. Compare the slope at the house site and along the access route, not just the parcel average.

    Guide: Terrain and slope

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Bexar County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
27%, 5th highest of 254 in Texas FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
5.6% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
16 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
80% moderate or worse, 47% severe or worse U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

The floodplain share is the area FEMA's National Risk Index counts as exposed to inland flooding, mostly mapped 100-year flood zones. It says how common flood-prone land is in Bexar County, not whether a given parcel floods. For that, look up the zone at your exact point on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or run the free check.

Soils and terrain

Prime farmland
29% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Prime only if drained, irrigated or protected
13% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
11% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
9.8% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
94% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Bexar County's soil-surveyed land (about 797,874 acres, open water excluded), using each map unit's dominant condition in USDA's SSURGO soil survey. Soils change within a few hundred feet, so the soil at your building site is what matters.

Farms and land use

Farms (2022)
2,107 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
31% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
118 acres (median 27) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$7,540 per acre, 9th highest of 254 in Texas USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
76,669 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
179,987 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
18,267 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
6,417 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

FEMA's National Risk Index rates each hazard for Bexar County relative to every other U.S. county. Overall risk: Relatively High.

  • HailVery High
  • River and inland floodingVery High
  • TornadoVery High
  • Heat waveRelatively High
  • LightningRelatively High
  • Strong windRelatively High
  • Winter weatherRelatively High
  • DroughtRelatively Moderate
  • HurricaneRelatively Moderate
  • WildfireRelatively Moderate
  • EarthquakeRelatively Low
  • LandslideRelatively Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Bexar County

How much of Bexar County, TX is in a flood zone?

About 27% of Bexar County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 5th highest of 254 counties in Texas. Whether a given parcel is in a flood zone depends on its exact location, so check the FEMA map at your pin.

How much does land cost per acre in Bexar County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Bexar County at $7,540 an acre, 9th highest of 254 counties in Texas (the median Texas county was $2,782). It's a self-reported average across farms, so small homesites and recreational tracts often sell for more per acre.

Will a septic system work on land in Bexar County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 94% of Bexar County's mapped soils very limited for conventional septic absorption fields, usually because of wetness, slow permeability, shallow rock or flooding. A perc or soil test on the parcel decides what system the health department will permit.

Is there good farmland in Bexar County?

29% of Bexar County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 13% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 11% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 2,107 farms averaging 118 acres.

How often is Bexar County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 67% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 60%. On 2026-10-27, 80% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Bexar County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Bexar County on the free check. It shows which checks return data at that exact point, and the full report costs $29: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power lines, wildfire and more, each with its source. It is a screen of public maps, not a survey, title search or perc test.

Check the parcel, not just the county

County numbers tell you what to look for. The free check looks at your exact point in Bexar County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Bexar County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Bexar County as a whole; a parcel can be entirely in or out of a flood zone, wetland or poor soil.
  • It doesn't look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits.
  • It isn't a survey, appraisal, elevation certificate, soil or perc test, or Phase I environmental site assessment.
  • It can't see local distribution power lines, driveways, legal access, wells or mineral rights.
  • Maps lag behind the ground, and distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Sources and vintages

Summarized per county by our build script on 2026-10-31. County figures cover the whole county; checks on the report are at your point.