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Buying land in Red River County, Texas: what to check

Red River County covers 1,044 square miles of land and 13 of water in Texas, with about 11,696 residents in 2024 (up 1.0% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 100% of its land as rural and 0% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 72% of the county's land. Below: how much of Red River 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 Red River CountySee a sample report

Red River County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

1%

Below the state's county median (2.4%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

32%

Above 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

$3,398/acre

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

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

23%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

100%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Red River County

Ordered by what Red River 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 94% of Red River 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.Expect wetlands; map them before you plan

    About 32% of Red River County's mapped soils are hydric (formed under saturated conditions, a federal wetland indicator) and 18% 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

  3. 3.Find out where the water comes from

    At least half of Red River County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 23% 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 100% of Red River 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 Red River County's wildfire risk very low, and 28% 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.Confirm the flood zone at your exact spot

    1% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 20% of its mapped soils flood occasionally or frequently.

    Even where little of the county floods, creeks and low spots do. Check the FEMA zone at the building site and the driveway route.

    Guide: Flood zones before buying land

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Red River County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
1%, 82nd lowest of 254 in Texas FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
20% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
32% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
18% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
13 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
100% moderate or worse, 100% 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 Red River 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
25% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
13% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
0% 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 Red River County's soil-surveyed land (about 669,663 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)
1,041 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
72% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
463 acres (median 125) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$3,398 per acre, 105th highest of 254 in Texas USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
123,885 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
299,759 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
77,807 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
6,986 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

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

  • DroughtRelatively Moderate
  • TornadoRelatively Moderate
  • HailRelatively Low
  • Heat waveRelatively Low
  • LightningRelatively Low
  • Strong windRelatively Low
  • EarthquakeVery Low
  • HurricaneVery Low
  • River and inland floodingVery Low
  • LandslideVery Low
  • WildfireVery Low
  • Winter weatherVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Red River County

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

About 1% of Red River County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 82nd lowest 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 Red River County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Red River County at $3,398 an acre, 105th 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 Red River County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 94% of Red River 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 Red River County?

25% of Red River County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 0% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 13% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 1,041 farms averaging 463 acres.

How often is Red River County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 23% 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 Red River County?

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

Check a location in Red River County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Red River 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.