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Buying land in Henderson County, Texas: what to check

Henderson County covers 874 square miles of land and 75 of water in Texas, with about 87,467 residents in 2024 (up 6.5% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 97% of its land as rural and 34% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 47% of the county's land. Below: how much of Henderson 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 Henderson CountySee a sample report

Henderson County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

10%

Above the state's county median (2.4%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

7.8%

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

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

67%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$4,699/acre

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

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

15%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

97%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Henderson County

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

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

    USDA rates 67% of Henderson 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

  2. 2.Put flood checks first in Henderson County

    10% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 14% of its mapped soils flood occasionally or frequently.

    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

  3. 3.Confirm legal road access and power

    The 2020 Census classified 97% of Henderson County's land area as rural.

    Rural tracts are often sold without recorded access or a power line nearby. Get the title company to confirm a recorded easement or public road frontage, and ask the electric co-op what a line extension costs.

    Guide: Road access and landlocked land

  4. 4.Find out where the water comes from

    At least half of Henderson County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 15% 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

  5. 5.Check wildfire exposure and insurance

    FEMA rates Henderson County's wildfire risk relatively low, and 25% 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

  6. 6.Rule out wetlands on the part you'll use

    About 7.8% of Henderson County's mapped soils are hydric (formed under saturated conditions, a federal wetland indicator) and 6.4% are poorly or very poorly drained (USDA SSURGO).

    Open the National Wetlands Inventory mapper at the parcel. Filling or draining a wetland can need a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit, and wet ground limits septic fields and building pads.

    Guide: Wetlands on land for sale

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Henderson County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
10%, 47th highest of 254 in Texas FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
14% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
7.8% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
6.4% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
75 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
100% moderate or worse, 0% 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 Henderson 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
13% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
10% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
2.5% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
67% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Henderson County's soil-surveyed land (about 555,561 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)
1,891 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
47% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
139 acres (median 40) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$4,699 per acre, 48th highest of 254 in Texas USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
68,636 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
169,641 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
43,838 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
1,180 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

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

  • LightningRelatively High
  • Strong windRelatively High
  • TornadoRelatively High
  • HailRelatively Moderate
  • Heat waveRelatively Moderate
  • Winter weatherRelatively Moderate
  • DroughtRelatively Low
  • HurricaneRelatively Low
  • River and inland floodingRelatively Low
  • WildfireRelatively Low
  • EarthquakeVery Low
  • LandslideVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Henderson County

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

About 10% of Henderson County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 47th 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 Henderson County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Henderson County at $4,699 an acre, 48th 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 Henderson County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 67% of Henderson 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 Henderson County?

13% of Henderson County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 0% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 10% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 1,891 farms averaging 139 acres.

How often is Henderson County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 15% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 5.3%. On 2026-10-27, 100% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Henderson County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Henderson 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 Henderson County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Henderson County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Henderson 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.