1972 median
Half of Henderson's 4,950 homes were built before 1972. About 73% predate 1980 and about 34% predate 1960.
Foundation Repair in Henderson, TX
Henderson is the Rusk County seat, with some of the oldest homes and some of the most clay-rich soils in the Tyler area. Tell us what you are seeing once, and independent foundation repair companies serving Henderson can reply with free quotes. Tyler TX Foundation Experts is a quote service, not a contractor.
Get a Free Quote Call (323) 880-1300Soils first
Rusk County has more clay than most of the region
The USDA NRCS soil survey for Rusk County tells a different story from Smith County. Rusk County has more clay soils with high shrink-swell potential: about 27.7% of its land is mapped in soils with high or very high shrink-swell, and shrink-swell is listed as a limitation for houses on about 57% of its acres, the highest share among the counties around Tyler. For houses on concrete slabs, the Texas-specific NRCS rating lists shrink-swell on about 62% of acres.
The common series include Cuthbert (11%), Eastwood (10%), Kirvin (9%), Redsprings (8%) and Laneville (8%). Eastwood is the one to know: a smectitic clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, mapped widely in the county.
| County | High or very high shrink-swell | Shrink-swell listed for houses |
|---|---|---|
| Rusk (Henderson) | 27.7% | 57.1% |
| Smith (Tyler) | 4.5% | 33.7% |
| Upshur and Gregg (Longview) | 6.2% | 16.1% |
USDA NRCS Soil Data Access, major soil components, queried November 2026. Your lot can differ.
Housing
The oldest housing stock in the area
Of the towns in our research, Henderson has the oldest homes (Census ACS 2020–2024).
12% newer
Only about 12% of homes were built in 2000 or later, so most houses have been through several drought cycles.
76% detached
Most homes are single-family houses, and about 65% are owner-occupied. The median value is about $173,700.
What older homes on clay tend to show
On clay that shrinks and swells, a house can move in both directions over a year. Common signs a TREC home inspector lists include:
- Doors that bind, are out of square or won't latch
- Sloping floors
- Cracks in walls, ceilings or brick
- Gaps at window frames or trim
Some older Henderson homes may sit on pier-and-beam, where sagging or bouncy floors, damp crawl spaces and worn supports are typical. See pier and beam repair and crawl space repair. On slabs, see foundation piers and pilings for how pier types differ.
About Henderson
Henderson is named for James Pinckney Henderson, the first governor of Texas, and counted 13,271 residents in the 2020 Census. It sits at a crossroads of US 259, US 79, SH 64, SH 43 and SH 42, and hosts the Heritage Syrup Festival each November and the East Texas Sacred Harp Convention in August (Wikipedia).
Weather records for the area come from Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. Tyler averages about 42 inches of rain a year, but July is the driest month (2.1 inches) and the city sees about 98 days of 90°F-plus heat (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Tyler Pounds Regional Airport). On clay-heavy Rusk County soils, the dry summer months can matter even more.
Before you sign: Texas does not issue a state license for foundation repair companies, so check experience, insurance, written warranties and reviews yourself, and ask whether a licensed professional engineer (PE) designs or signs off on the repair. Whether a repair needs a permit or an engineer's plan depends on the work, so check with the city's building department or have the company you choose do it before work starts.
Get free foundation repair quotes in Henderson
Tyler TX Foundation Experts passes your request to independent foundation companies that serve Henderson and Rusk County, and they reply to you directly. Companies may pay to receive requests; there is no cost or obligation for you.
Common requests here:
Nearby areas:
Typical national price ranges are in the Tyler foundation repair cost guide.
Henderson foundation questions
Why do Henderson foundations seem to move more than Tyler's?
Part of it is soil. Rusk County has more clay soils with high shrink-swell potential than Smith County: about 28% of its land is mapped high or very high, against about 4.5% in Smith County (USDA NRCS). Part of it is age: about 73% of Henderson homes were built before 1980 (Census ACS 2020–2024).
What is Eastwood soil?
Eastwood is a clayey soil series that makes up about 10% of Rusk County in the USDA NRCS survey. It has a high linear extensibility, which means it swells noticeably when wet and shrinks when dry. Web Soil Survey shows whether it is mapped near your address.
Should I get an engineer before a Henderson repair?
It is often worth it for larger jobs, when quotes disagree, or when you plan to sell. An independent Texas-licensed professional engineer works for you, not the repair company, and you can check the license at pels.texas.gov.
Cracks, sticking doors or a sloping floor? Get free foundation quotes.
Describe it once and independent foundation companies serving Tyler, Smith County and East Texas can reply with no-obligation quotes.