Check the LandCheck a location

Buying land in Hopkins County, Texas: what to check

Hopkins County covers 767 square miles of land and 25 of water in Texas, with about 38,784 residents in 2024 (up 5.4% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 99% of its land as rural and 40% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 65% of the county's land. Below: how much of Hopkins 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 Hopkins CountySee a sample report

Hopkins County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

8.3%

Above the state's county median (2.4%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

17%

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

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

93%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$4,732/acre

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

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

25%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

99%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Hopkins County

Ordered by what Hopkins 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 93% of Hopkins 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 Hopkins County

    8.3% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 18% 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.Find out where the water comes from

    At least half of Hopkins County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 25% 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

  4. 4.Confirm legal road access and power

    The 2020 Census classified 99% of Hopkins 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

  5. 5.Check wildfire exposure and insurance

    FEMA rates Hopkins County's wildfire risk relatively low, and 32% 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.Expect wetlands; map them before you plan

    About 17% of Hopkins County's mapped soils are hydric (formed under saturated conditions, a federal wetland indicator) and 0% 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 Hopkins County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
8.3%, 62nd highest of 254 in Texas FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
18% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
17% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
25 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
100% moderate or worse, 95% 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 Hopkins 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
16% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
30% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
93% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Hopkins County's soil-surveyed land (about 484,371 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)
1,873 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
65% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
169 acres (median 60) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$4,732 per acre, 46th highest of 254 in Texas USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
101,540 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
194,102 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
46,137 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
4,257 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

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

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

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Hopkins County

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

About 8.3% of Hopkins County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 62nd 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 Hopkins County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Hopkins County at $4,732 an acre, 46th 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 Hopkins County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 93% of Hopkins 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 Hopkins County?

16% of Hopkins County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 0% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 30% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 1,873 farms averaging 169 acres.

How often is Hopkins County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 25% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 12%. On 2026-10-27, 100% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Hopkins County?

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

Check a location in Hopkins County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Hopkins 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.