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Buying land in Smith County, Texas: what to check

Smith County covers 922 square miles of land and 28 of water in Texas, with about 249,091 residents in 2024 (up 6.7% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 89% of its land as rural and 65% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 43% of the county's land. Below: how much of Smith 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 Smith CountySee a sample report

Smith County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

9.5%

Above the state's county median (2.4%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

12%

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

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

73%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$7,161/acre

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

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

13%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

89%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Smith County

Ordered by what Smith 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 73% of Smith 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 Smith County

    9.5% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 13% 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 Smith County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 13% 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 89% of Smith 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 Smith County's wildfire risk relatively low, and 21% 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 12% of Smith County's mapped soils are hydric (formed under saturated conditions, a federal wetland indicator) and 2.2% 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 Smith County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
9.5%, 48th highest of 254 in Texas FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
13% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
12% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
2.2% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
28 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
100% moderate or worse, 74% 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 Smith 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
17% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
7.4% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
73% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Smith County's soil-surveyed land (about 592,310 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)
2,495 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
43% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
101 acres (median 28) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$7,161 per acre, 11th highest of 254 in Texas USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
62,745 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
139,995 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
57,842 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
2,778 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

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

  • LightningRelatively High
  • Strong windRelatively High
  • Winter weatherRelatively High
  • HailRelatively Moderate
  • Heat waveRelatively Moderate
  • River and inland floodingRelatively Moderate
  • EarthquakeRelatively Low
  • HurricaneRelatively Low
  • LandslideRelatively Low
  • TornadoRelatively Low
  • WildfireRelatively Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Smith County

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

About 9.5% of Smith County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 48th 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 Smith County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Smith County at $7,161 an acre, 11th 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 Smith County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 73% of Smith 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 Smith County?

17% of Smith County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 0% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and under 1% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 2,495 farms averaging 101 acres.

How often is Smith County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 13% 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 Smith County?

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

Check a location in Smith County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Smith 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.