How deep are water wells in Texas?

The typical new home water well in Texas is 250 feet deep. Half of the 123,903 home wells drilled in the last 10 years are between 170 and 398 feet. It changes a lot by place: the county median goes from 36 feet in Wichita County to 1,100 feet in McLennan County.

Updated every day from Texas Water Development Board driller reports. Last update: November 10, 2026, using the state file of November 9, 2026.

Type an address, GPS point or county in this page's search to see the nearest real wells: depth, water level, yield, rock layers and each one's official report.

Key figures

Typical depth (middle half)
170–398 ft
Median depth
250 feet
Water level (median)
96 feet
Yield (median)
25 gallons per minute
Wells used
123,903 (Last 10 years)

What changed in 20 years

  • Statewide, the median new home well barely changed: 260 feet in 2003 to 2007 and 255 feet in 2021 to 2025.
  • In the same places, it did: across 1,169 areas of about 6 miles with wells in both periods, new wells are a median 9 feet deeper and the water sits 8.5 feet lower. The water level dropped in 68% of those areas.
  • By county, 36 of 180 comparable counties now drill at least 10% deeper with statistical confidence, 7 at least 10% shallower and 137 show no meaningful change. In 20 counties the median rose 20% or more.

Read the 20-year study

All 254 Texas counties

CountyMedian depth (ft)Middle half (ft)Water level (ft)Wells used20 years
Anderson442240–640140264Deeper
Andrews114104–12070413No meaningful change
Angelina186120–27150302No meaningful change
Aransas175165–18749665No meaningful change
Archer10043–2002155—
Armstrong265215–301182103—
Atascosa380320–450145573No meaningful change
Austin208180–255751,274Deeper
Bailey238211–27717276No meaningful change
Bandera510450–6402231,042Deeper
Bastrop325240–440104873No meaningful change
Baylor4036–512043—
Bee212165–26069512No meaningful change
Bell560199–840240517No meaningful change
Bexar500360–692236811No meaningful change
Blanco410305–5051641,173Deeper
Borden10477–1887444—
Bosque480240–720339403No meaningful change
Bowie8058–18031356No meaningful change
Brazoria363225–463603,487No meaningful change
Brazos360308–46085235No meaningful change
Brewster363242–578114198No meaningful change
Briscoe196124–2326550—
Brooks431400–5599534—
Brown198140–28093120Deeper
Burleson352250–49581648No meaningful change
Burnet350260–4602172,624Deeper
Caldwell260200–34088470Shallower
Calhoun225183–26017315No meaningful change
Callahan7052–1283074No meaningful change
Cameron6650–14010160Shallower
Camp492430–55019641—
Carson400325–59028081No meaningful change
Cass370320–460133379No meaningful change
Castro378328–40327997No meaningful change
Chambers200170–33036329Shallower
Cherokee430220–560166385Deeper
Childress160120–1714844—
Clay200140–28070244No meaningful change
Cochran205189–23916080—
Coke180140–2208099No meaningful change
Coleman13560–16051121—
Collin1,020825–1,42450050—
Collingsworth142100–1605286No meaningful change
Colorado165140–210651,303No meaningful change
Comal484400–6002601,255No meaningful change
Comanche158100–24072538Deeper
Concho125115–18060107No meaningful change
Cooke500400–565320639No meaningful change
Coryell480401–592316275No meaningful change
Cottle130100–1648036—
Crane240234–245170141—
Crockett410326–49028033—
Crosby344290–35516642—
Culberson407250–65420239—
Dallam515480–54538797Deeper
Dallas5539–902271No meaningful change
Dawson168135–19078140No meaningful change
Deaf Smith330264–364234185No meaningful change
Delta———8—
Denton440390–540285887No meaningful change
DeWitt184149–24080575No meaningful change
Dickens11762–17550107—
Dimmit500400–56027563Deeper
Donley160130–20090123No meaningful change
Duval360300–422120154No meaningful change
Eastland11080–24042205No meaningful change
Ector140120–1851002,845No meaningful change
Edwards400340–440290445No meaningful change
El Paso155120–2201751—
Ellis420300–760308157No meaningful change
Erath375200–4172501,557No meaningful change
Falls6563–10826139No meaningful change
Fannin6252–10432207—
Fayette265190–364981,232No meaningful change
Fisher11581–1383231—
Floyd363297–40219036—
Foard6044–802448—
Fort Bend260205–320602,013No meaningful change
Franklin418322–50312050—
Freestone450308–530134252Deeper
Frio420360–460220251Deeper
Gaines200164–2291203,504No meaningful change
Galveston425150–58072989No meaningful change
Garza106100–1398565—
Gillespie240178–3691121,957No meaningful change
Glasscock265180–31516291—
Goliad210170–25870403No meaningful change
Gonzales360270–44091518No meaningful change
Gray465240–532336107No meaningful change
Grayson340260–425140372No meaningful change
Gregg401360–450160126No meaningful change
Grimes295214–374901,117No meaningful change
Guadalupe256120–34070748No meaningful change
Hale302234–332228219No meaningful change
Hall139100–1825432—
Hamilton475420–552329507Deeper
Hansford485436–54030446—
Hardeman10075–10050148—
Hardin255180–38030828Shallower
Harris260220–3101002,258No meaningful change
Harrison340259–420100404Deeper
Hartley554530–59043097No meaningful change
Haskell6244–723267—
Hays510410–6802901,086No meaningful change
Hemphill290188–39011836—
Henderson460220–620165603Deeper
Hidalgo320300–50566105Deeper
Hill360220–500285357No meaningful change
Hockley155135–173116676Shallower
Hood360220–420259967No meaningful change
Hopkins444344–556100130No meaningful change
Houston349272–42896278No meaningful change
Howard11080–15560325No meaningful change
Hudspeth297131–58015144—
Hunt216164–30260244No meaningful change
Hutchinson400305–50017333—
Irion160115–2289091No meaningful change
Jack220200–26583760No meaningful change
Jackson160120–21440381No meaningful change
Jasper185121–22636795Deeper
Jeff Davis380296–52719788No meaningful change
Jefferson210160–23822238No meaningful change
Jim Hogg360320–450100269—
Jim Wells378295–480115606No meaningful change
Johnson400240–5142501,110No meaningful change
Jones7645–832262No meaningful change
Karnes400281–500116263Deeper
Kaufman10064–1202262No meaningful change
Kendall413280–5702201,214No meaningful change
Kenedy792715–8503520—
Kent10878–1454573—
Kerr540380–660336955Deeper
Kimble260155–340172505No meaningful change
King———6—
Kinney14080–4005285—
Kleberg660622–70013033—
Knox5252–553249—
La Salle360295–43511057—
Lamar10082–1832623—
Lamb223188–330140124No meaningful change
Lampasas346260–420157399Deeper
Lavaca185140–240781,265Deeper
Lee458320–589110284No meaningful change
Leon435320–55899364No meaningful change
Liberty250186–31556920No meaningful change
Limestone360240–45568375No meaningful change
Lipscomb305199–380112100—
Live Oak250160–36579273No meaningful change
Llano170120–220371,159Deeper
Loving242208–37614016—
Lubbock172150–2031143,532No meaningful change
Lynn141130–160110432Deeper
Madison366300–44076372No meaningful change
Marion375252–4429280No meaningful change
Martin8675–11660824Shallower
Mason145105–23946551No meaningful change
Matagorda410343–46560593No meaningful change
Maverick200140–2406072—
McCulloch205140–30067113No meaningful change
McLennan1,10080–1,18062288—
McMullen360221–53914554—
Medina535344–820250800No meaningful change
Menard252160–304144178No meaningful change
Midland10080–120603,247No meaningful change
Milam422238–550107328Deeper
Mills302204–420135220No meaningful change
Mitchell160140–2207054No meaningful change
Montague220160–300801,161No meaningful change
Montgomery215187–265663,662No meaningful change
Moore475385–520359175No meaningful change
Morris445385–49414375No meaningful change
Motley9868–1404641—
Nacogdoches420260–550175268No meaningful change
Navarro10780–2102047Deeper
Newton150110–19030388No meaningful change
Nolan200160–2808095No meaningful change
Nueces280230–32346289No meaningful change
Ochiltree420394–46029052—
Oldham322300–32822054—
Orange405316–45636651No meaningful change
Palo Pinto200160–28080847No meaningful change
Panola220150–30060276No meaningful change
Parker240200–3201157,271Deeper
Parmer406387–44139584No meaningful change
Pecos261188–3417892—
Polk205160–26071807No meaningful change
Potter297245–315200891No meaningful change
Presidio343301–48223560—
Rains260204–3647063—
Randall344285–4802303,866Deeper
Reagan380300–49620596—
Real380200–680305244No meaningful change
Red River9069–3862471—
Reeves260152–3587090—
Refugio220179–32035204Shallower
Roberts470354–566257115—
Robertson438325–516111372No meaningful change
Rockwall———7—
Runnels10078–1354099No meaningful change
Rusk408310–480150370Deeper
Sabine12887–18030114No meaningful change
San Augustine175118–26442194No meaningful change
San Jacinto208161–28656720No meaningful change
San Patricio200150–25036330Deeper
San Saba285170–42072253No meaningful change
Schleicher308260–38320892No meaningful change
Scurry240180–282129128Deeper
Shackelford———6—
Shelby263204–33295176Deeper
Sherman450420–51032040—
Smith430180–561152399Deeper
Somervell460335–580294140No meaningful change
Starr460428–49216746No meaningful change
Stephens190135–2206548—
Sterling120110–1506059—
Stonewall7259–1003238—
Sutton360300–400266127No meaningful change
Swisher204177–22814830—
Tarrant340260–4002201,715No meaningful change
Taylor8048–1882767No meaningful change
Terrell716607–87052054—
Terry145120–17589453No meaningful change
Throckmorton———6—
Titus441344–49910070No meaningful change
Tom Green11580–16046658No meaningful change
Travis445280–628302969No meaningful change
Trinity274186–39165136No meaningful change
Tyler160115–22042558No meaningful change
Upshur474400–560200224No meaningful change
Upton300200–36020059—
Uvalde300160–470117402Deeper
Val Verde400240–475124155No meaningful change
Van Zandt440320–520155936No meaningful change
Victoria140104–180511,305No meaningful change
Walker260190–35088716Deeper
Waller240200–295901,143No meaningful change
Ward135117–1607491—
Washington236190–2951001,776No meaningful change
Webb640500–68024292Deeper
Wharton200150–240491,079No meaningful change
Wheeler160110–2055070Deeper
Wichita3630–481876—
Wilbarger3935–5221127—
Willacy74045–8503417—
Williamson553473–7103801,229No meaningful change
Wilson380325–4241301,026No meaningful change
Winkler200170–2488530—
Wise220180–300903,602No meaningful change
Wood464200–544100265No meaningful change
Yoakum180160–2029589No meaningful change
Young210180–34060184No meaningful change
Zapata500420–59011051—
Zavala520392–71630339—

Common questions

How deep is a water well in Texas?

The typical home well drilled in Texas in the last 10 years is 250 feet deep. The middle half are 170 to 398 feet, but it changes a lot by county: find yours in the table.

How much does it cost to drill a water well in Texas?

At the typical depth of 250 feet, a complete home well would cost roughly $9,000 to $21,500 by TerraFunded's estimate from published Texas driller prices. Deeper wells and hard rock cost more.

How deep is the water table in Texas?

When a well is finished, the driller measures where the water settles. The statewide median is 96 feet below the surface, shallower than the well itself, because wells are drilled past the water level to hold a reserve.

What is a driller's report?

It is the form every licensed driller files with the state when a well is finished: location, depth, soil and rock layers, water level and a yield test. The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) publishes all of them.

Does a neighbor's well guarantee water on my land?

These are depths of real wells drilled nearby, not a promise about any property. Groundwater can change over short distances and with drought. A licensed water well driller can tell you what to expect on a specific tract.

Do I need a permit to drill a water well?

It depends on where the land is. Many counties have a groundwater conservation district that requires registering the well, paying a fee or keeping set distances. Ask the local district before drilling.

How to read these numbers

The median is the depth of the middle well: half are deeper and half shallower. The middle half runs from the 25th to the 75th percentile. Water level is where the water settled when the well was finished, not the depth of the well. Read the full methodology

Download and cite

Download the county table (CSV). License: CC BY 4.0.

How to cite: TerraFunded Texas Well Atlas, from Texas Water Development Board driller reports (data as of November 9, 2026). https://terrafunded.com/wells

Sources