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Cost to drill a well in Texas: $9,200–$51,100 by county

A drilled, finished water well in Texas typically costs $9,200–$51,100, with a midpoint of $26,900. Depth sets most of that price. Domestic wells here have a median depth of 250 ft across 120,414 completion reports filed 2016–2025, priced at Texas driller rates.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Key figures for Texas

ItemFigure
Finished well, typical range (midpoint $26,900) $9,200–$51,1001,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
Drilling and casing only (no pump, tank, or hookup) $6,600–$40,0001,2,3,4,5
Median well depth (120,414 reports) 250 ft1
Middle half of wells 170 ft to 400 ft1
Drilling rate (Texas rates) $25–$65/ft2
Median casing depth 250 ft1
Median reported yield 21 gpm1

Estimate a well in Texas

Typical total: $9,200–$51,100, midpoint $26,900.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Depths from 120,414 domestic well reports in Texas, 2016–2025: 170 ft (25th percentile), 250 ft (median), 395 ft (75th percentile).

Low uses the 25th percentile depth at low rates; high uses the 75th percentile at high rates.
Line itemLowMidHigh
Drilling (per foot of depth) (250 ft × $45/ft)$4,300$11,300$25,7002
Casing, installed (250 ft × $28/ft)$1,700$6,900$11,3003
Rig mobilization and setup ($550–$2,500)$600$1,500$2,5004
Well permit ($0–$500)$0$300$5005
Pump, wire, and drop pipe, installed ($1,000–$4,000)$1,000$2,500$4,0006
Pressure tank and switch, installed ($500–$1,800)$500$1,200$1,8006
Trench, water line, and electrical to the house ($1,000–$5,000)$1,000$3,000$5,0007
Water quality test ($50–$250)$100$200$3008
Total$9,200$26,900$51,100

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Well depth by county in Texas

Total depth of domestic wells by county, Texas. Bar shows the middle half of wells; tick marks the median.
County Reports Median depth (ft) Middle half (ft) 0 to 2,450 ft
Parker 7,089 240 200–300
Randall 3,815 340 290–470
Wise 3,543 220 180–300
Lubbock 3,506 170 150–200
Montgomery 3,468 220 190–260
Brazoria 3,296 360 230–460
Gaines 3,171 200 160–220
Midland 3,114 100 80–120
Ector 2,817 140 120–190
Burnet 2,606 350 250–460
Harris 2,087 260 220–310
Gillespie 1,968 240 180–360
Fort Bend 1,940 270 210–320
Tarrant 1,781 340 260–400
Washington 1,749 240 190–290
Erath 1,399 380 200–420
Victoria 1,318 140 110–180
Colorado 1,279 170 140–210
Comal 1,278 490 400–600
Lavaca 1,255 180 140–240
Williamson 1,247 550 470–700
Austin 1,239 210 180–260
Kendall 1,239 410 280–570
Fayette 1,190 260 190–360
Llano 1,185 170 120–220
Blanco 1,151 410 310–510
Hays 1,116 510 410–670
Grimes 1,112 300 220–370
Montague 1,096 220 160–300
Waller 1,088 240 200–300
Johnson 1,063 400 240–500
Wharton 1,028 200 150–240
Wilson 1,027 380 320–420
Travis 1,024 440 280–630
Bandera 1,015 510 450–640
Van Zandt 924 440 320–520
Potter 907 300 240–310
Kerr 900 540 370–660
Hood 898 380 220–420
Denton 880 440 400–530
Liberty 880 250 190–320
Bastrop 854 330 240–440
Galveston 850 440 190–590
Bexar 811 500 360–680
Hardin 803 260 180–380
Palo Pinto 798 200 160–260
Jasper 788 180 120–220
Martin 775 90 70–120
Medina 765 520 320–800
Guadalupe 757 250 100–340
Polk 755 200 160–260
Jack 717 220 200–260
Walker 687 260 190–340
San Jacinto 683 210 160–290
Orange 651 410 320–460
Hockley 639 160 140–180
Jim Wells 629 360 290–470
Aransas 626 170 170–190
Burleson 622 350 250–490
Cooke 618 500 400–580
Tom Green 601 110 80–160
Henderson 578 460 210–600
Matagorda 564 410 340–470
DeWitt 560 180 140–240
Atascosa 554 380 320–440
Tyler 552 160 110–220
Mason 549 150 110–230
Bee 506 200 160–250
Bell 504 540 200–830
Comanche 494 160 100–240
Kimble 489 260 150–340
Gonzales 485 350 260–440
Hamilton 484 480 420–550
Edwards 437 400 340–440
Caldwell 435 260 200–330
Lynn 434 140 130–160
Goliad 421 210 170–260
Terry 421 140 120–170
Lampasas 417 340 250–410
Andrews 398 110 100–120
Uvalde 398 280 150–450
Jackson 395 160 120–220
Harrison 390 340 240–420
Newton 389 150 110–190
Smith 381 410 180–560
Grayson 376 340 260–430
Cass 374 370 320–460
Bosque 371 480 240–700
Cherokee 371 420 200–560
Bowie 365 80 60–170
Limestone 355 360 240–450
Robertson 354 440 330–510
Leon 353 440 320–560
Rusk 349 410 310–480
Madison 346 370 300–440
Chambers 343 200 170–330
Howard 333 110 80–160
San Patricio 322 200 150–250
Milam 316 420 240–550
Hill 315 370 220–500
Angelina 311 190 130–270
Live Oak 303 260 170–360
Nueces 302 280 220–320
Calhoun 297 230 190–250
Panola 286 220 160–300
Lee 275 460 320–600
Karnes 269 400 280–500
Nacogdoches 266 410 260–550
Coryell 261 480 400–590
Hunt 254 220 160–290
San Saba 254 290 170–420
Wood 252 480 200–560
Frio 249 410 360–460
Houston 245 360 270–440
Brazos 244 360 310–460
Jefferson 244 220 160–240
Anderson 241 460 240–660
Real 239 380 200–670
Freestone 233 460 320–540
Clay 232 200 140–260
Fannin 227 60 50–100
Upshur 220 480 400–560
Mills 215 310 200–420
Refugio 211 220 170–320
Hale 208 300 230–330
Brewster 206 340 230–560
Eastland 191 120 80–240
Menard 183 240 160–300
San Augustine 183 180 120–260
Deaf Smith 182 330 260–360
Shelby 176 270 200–350
Young 168 200 180–340
Moore 161 470 390–520
Cameron 160 70 50–140
Val Verde 156 400 240–460
Ellis 148 430 320–760
Duval 141 360 320–440
Crane 138 240 230–250
Sutton 138 360 300–400
Somervell 136 470 320–580
Dawson 131 170 140–190
Trinity 131 260 190–380
Falls 129 70 60–110
Hopkins 129 460 340–540
Scurry 127 240 180–290
Gregg 118 410 360–450
Sabine 112 120 80–180
Donley 111 160 140–200
Brown 107 200 140–280
Lamb 105 220 190–320
Webb 105 640 500–700
Armstrong 103 270 220–300
McCulloch 103 210 150–300
Concho 102 130 120–180
Gray 102 450 200–520
Coke 100 180 140–220
Hidalgo 96 320 220–400
Pecos 95 260 190–330
Ward 95 130 120–160
Glasscock 92 240 140–300
Hartley 92 550 530–590
Schleicher 92 310 260–390
Yoakum 92 180 160–200
Kinney 90 140 80–400
Runnels 90 100 80–120
Reeves 89 260 160–360
Jeff Davis 88 380 280–520
Dallam 85 520 480–540
McLennan 84 1,100 80–1,180
Nolan 83 200 160–270
Castro 82 370 300–400
Collingsworth 81 140 100–160
Marion 80 360 250–440
Irion 79 160 120–240
Carson 73 390 330–560
Morris 71 440 380–490
Red River 71 90 70–360
Callahan 70 60 50–100
Dallas 70 60 40–100
Titus 68 450 350–500
Wheeler 67 150 110–200
Parmer 66 400 380–440
Garza 60 110 100–140
Taylor 59 80 50–190
Bailey 58 230 200–260
Kaufman 58 100 80–120
Upton 58 300 200–360
Mitchell 56 160 140–220
Presidio 54 320 300–480
Dimmit 53 500 420–560
Haskell 53 60 40–70
La Salle 52 350 280–400
Jones 50 80 40–80
Ochiltree 49 420 380–460
Starr 49 460 420–500
Knox 48 50 50–60
Oldham 48 320 300–330
Hansford 47 500 450–540
Stephens 47 180 140–220
Collin 46 990 750–1,350
Navarro 45 140 80–220
Crosby 43 340 290–360
El Paso 41 160 120–260
Zavala 39 450 360–640
Childress 38 150 120–170
Brooks 37 420 400–560
Camp 37 510 460–560
Hemphill 37 350 260–400
Hudspeth 37 290 120–540
Sherman 34 450 430–520
Crockett 33 400 320–470
Hutchinson 33 400 310–480
Kleberg 33 650 620–700
Floyd 32 370 280–400
Rains 30 250 220–350
Dickens* 29 120 100–260
Winkler* 28 200 170–240
Cochran* 27 210 190–230
Fisher* 27 120 70–140
Reagan* 27 390 310–430
Briscoe* 26 220 140–230
Swisher* 25 200 180–210
Hall* 23 140 120–190
Terrell* 23 720 670–870
Wilbarger* 23 40 40–60
Hardeman* 22 60 50–100
Jim Hogg* 22 340 320–430
Borden* 21 140 80–190
Sterling* 20 120 100–130
Franklin* 19 420 320–500
Lipscomb* 19 310 200–390
Archer* 17 160 80–300
Culberson* 17 410 370–560
Maverick* 17 200 160–260
Roberts* 14 400 210–550
Coleman* 13 140 80–220
Foard* 12 60 50–60
Kent* 12 100 80–150
Motley* 11 120 100–250
Baylor* 10 40 40–40
McMullen* 10 370 290–460
Cottle* 9 140 120–180
Stonewall* 7 100 100–100
Wichita* 7 40 40–40
Lamar* 5 50 40–230
Loving* 5 260 210–380
Kenedy* 4 820 810–840
Delta* 3 480 470–480
Shackelford* 3 240 220–270
Willacy* 3 880 470–950
Zapata* 2 860 790–930
King* 1 220 220–220
Rockwall* 1 2,450 2,450–2,450

* 38 counties have fewer than 30 reports. Estimates there use the statewide figures.

Median depth runs from 50 ft in Knox County to 1,100 ft in McLennan County. At Texas rates that difference is worth about $76,100 at the midpoint estimate. 38 of 253 counties have fewer than 30 reports; the calculator uses the statewide figure for those.

Sources1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Where the money goes on a Texas well

Drilling is billed by the foot at $25–$65/ft, so the hole alone runs $4,300–$25,700 at the depths above. Casing, the steel or PVC pipe that lines the upper borehole, adds $1,700–$11,300 at $10–$45/ft. Rig setup is a flat $600–$2,500.

The pump, pressure tank, and trench to the house add $2,500–$10,800 on top of the hole. A quote that looks low next to the range above often leaves those three out, so ask for it itemized.

Sources2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Permits and driller licensing in Texas

Water wells in Texas fall under Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Water Well Driller Program. Texas requires no state site permit to drill a water well, but local ordinances or groundwater conservation districts may require a permit or well registration. Check with your district before you drill. A license is required to drill a water well in Texas. State law allows landowners to drill or plug water wells on their own property. TDLR cites a 60-day deadline to submit a well report after a well is completed. The permit or filing fee runs $0–$500.

Sources9,10,11,5

Groundwater and well construction in Texas

Well cap Submersible pump Casing to about 250 ft Total depth about 250 ft Soil and loose rock Open hole in rock
Cross-section of a 250 ft well with casing to 250 ft, the Texas median

A well at the Texas median reaches 250 ft with casing to about 250 ft. 16 TAC Chapter 76 requires a well to be at least 100 feet from a septic absorption field or spray area and 50 feet from a watertight sewage collection facility. The distance can be reduced to 50 feet if the well is cemented by positive displacement to 100 feet.

Texas A&M's Texas Well Owner Network advises testing at least every year for nitrate, total dissolved solids and E. coli or fecal coliform. Test other chemistry as needed.

Sources1,12,13

Texas compared with neighboring states

StateMedian depthTypical finished well
Texas250 ft$9,200–$51,100
Arkansasno records$6,800–$42,500
Louisianano records$6,800–$42,500
New Mexico240 ft$10,400–$42,700
Oklahoma180 ft$10,400–$30,000

Sources14,15,2,3,4,16,6,7,8,17,18,19,20,21,22

Common questions

How deep is a typical well in Texas?

Half of the 120,414 domestic wells reported in Texas from 2016–2025 are between 170 ft and 400 ft deep, and the median is 250 ft. Your county can sit well above or below that, so check the county table on this page before you compare quotes.

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

Drilling alone runs $25–$65/ft on the rates we compiled. Spread across a whole finished well, including casing, pump, tank, and hookup, the midpoint estimate works out to about $108/ft at a depth of 250 ft. Per-foot quotes rarely include the pump.

Do you need a permit to drill a well in Texas?

Texas requires no state site permit to drill a water well, but local ordinances or groundwater conservation districts may require a permit or well registration. Check with your district before you drill. Expect a fee of $0–$500. The driller usually files the paperwork, but the permit is tied to your property, so ask for a copy.

How much do a well pump and pressure tank add in Texas?

An installed submersible pump with wire and drop pipe runs $1,000–$4,000, and a pressure tank with its switch runs $500–$1,800. Together they are often the line items missing from a drilling quote, so a quote for the hole alone will look $3,700 cheaper than a finished well.

Related pages

For every state side by side and the national range, see well drilling costs.

Sources

  1. Submitted Driller's Reports Database , Texas Water Development Board. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  2. Water Well Installation: Complete Guide, Cost and Tips for Success , Stevens Drilling (La Vernia, TX). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2025-10-27. Drilling $25-$65/ft; pumps $500-$2,000; pressure tank $300-$1,500; permit/licensing $100-$750; total $7,500-$17,000+.
  3. Cost to Drill a Water Well in Northern California , Weeks Drilling & Pump Co. (Sebastopol, CA). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-04-30. Drilling $35-$130/ft; steel casing $20-$45/ft; pump and pressure tank $3,500-$9,000; permitting $500-$2,500.
  4. D-203(5) Statewide Drilling Services, Exhibit D Price Schedule (Thein Well Co., contract 226711) , Minnesota Office of State Procurement. Accessed November 8, 2026. 2023 state-contract unit rates from a licensed MN driller: 6-in borehole $30-$31/ft (mud rotary/auger), $75/ft air rotary in rock; 6-in casing $28/ft (code) to $48/ft (black steel); mobilization $1,000/project; 34-gal pressure tank installed $1,000, 62-gal $1,450; submersible pump 3/4-1 hp $1,250-$1,350 each; drop pipe $7/ft; pitless and lateral $2,000; trench $20/LF. Agency-buyer rates, not retail quotes.
  5. Fee Schedule, effective 2025-10-01 , Blanco-Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District (TX). Accessed November 8, 2026. Registered well $500; permitted well $3,000; non-refundable.
  6. How Much Does a Well Pressure Tank Cost? , Mid Atlantic Water LLC (water-system supplier, nationwide). Accessed November 8, 2026. Updated 2026-10-14; prices live as of 2026-09. Tank replaced by plumber $800-$1,800 all-in (20-44 gal); labor $200-$500; submersible pump job $1,000-$2,500; tank plus pump $2,500-$5,000+. Supplier, not an installer.
  7. What Are the Cost Factors of Drilling a Santa Fe Water Well? , Boylan Water Well Service (Santa Fe, NM). Accessed November 8, 2026. Published 2026-06-25. Drilling incl. PVC casing $28-$65/ft; submersible pump $850-$2,500; casing and grouting $1,500-$4,000; pressure tank and controls $500-$1,800; electrical hookup and trenching $1,000-$3,500; permits and lab testing $300-$1,000; turn-key $12,000-$30,000+.
  8. DSHS Austin Laboratory Fee Schedule, effective 2026-09-01 , Texas Department of State Health Services. Accessed November 8, 2026. Potable Water (coliform) MZZ0441A $18.39; Nitrate-N EZZ0048A $30.00; Routine Water Mineral Group $155; All Metals $165; VOCs $150.
  9. Water Well Drillers and Pump Installers at a Glance , Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Accessed November 9, 2026.
  10. Drilling a Well , Texas Groundwater Protection Committee. Accessed November 9, 2026. Content taken from search excerpts.
  11. Water Well Drillers / Water Well Pump Installers Penalties and Sanctions , Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Accessed November 9, 2026. Content taken from search excerpts.
  12. 16 Tex. Admin. Code 76.100 Technical Requirements, Locations and Standards of Completion for Wells , Cornell Legal Information Institute. Accessed November 9, 2026. Content taken from search excerpts.
  13. Water Well Basics , Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas Well Owner Network. Accessed November 9, 2026. Content taken from search excerpts.
  14. National depth distribution, median of state percentiles , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median across states with records of each state's 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile depth.
  15. Default casing share of well depth , Cost to Drill a Well. Accessed November 9, 2026. Median of state casing_p50 / depth_p50 across states that report casing. Used only where no local casing median exists.
  16. Compilation of fetched state and county well permit fees (research/rates/NOTES.md, section permit) , costtodrillawell.com research. Accessed November 8, 2026. Internal compilation used only for the national permit fallback. Component sources: ok-owrb-well-driller-fact-sheet ($0), fl-nwfwmd-well-fees through fl-manatee-water-wells-2026 ($35-$265), ny-dutchess-dbch-fees ($45), wi-dnr-well-notification ($50.50), ga-pierce-well-permit-2024 ($70), idaho-code-42-235 ($75), crs-37-92-602 ($100), az-ars-45-596 ($100-$150), nmac-19-27-5 ($125), wa-rcw-18-104-055 ($200), nc-wayne-private-wells through nc-gaston-eh-fees ($225-$450), mi-grand-traverse-fees-2026 and mi-delta-menominee-fees-2025 ($240-$334), mt-dnrc-form-613-2025 ($250-$400), pa-chester-county-health-fees ($300), mn-stat-103i-208 ($325), oh-logan-fees-2024 through oh-summit-fees-2025 ($350-$594), or-hb2808-2025 ($490), blanco-pedernales-gcd-fees-2025 ($500), ca-calaveras-fees-2026 ($693), ny-nyc-well-water-permit ($1,090 outlier).
  17. Points of Diversion (wells) , New Mexico Office of the State Engineer. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  18. 19.27.5 NMAC Water Rights Filing Fees, section 19.27.5.8 , New Mexico Office of the State Engineer (via NM State Records Center and Archives). Accessed November 8, 2026. Effective 2006-08-15. $125 for an application for a 72-12-1.1 domestic well permit; $75 to repair or deepen.
  19. Reported Groundwater Well Locations of Oklahoma , Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Accessed November 8, 2026. Well completion records used for depth, casing, and yield distributions.
  20. Pricing , B & L Water Well (Enid, OK). Accessed November 8, 2026. 2025 site. Drilling only with 5-inch standard casing: 50 ft or less $2,200 in Enid, $2,500-$3,000 outside city limits; more than 50 ft about $50/ft; 6-inch wells $50/ft; complete well with pump, 20-gal pressure tank and hydrant $4,500; constant-pressure package $6,000.
  21. Well Driller / Pump Installer Licensing fact sheet , Oklahoma Water Resources Board. Accessed November 8, 2026. 2026. No permit or fee for a domestic well; licensed driller files a well completion report within 60 days; Intent-to-Drill ($250, https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/OKWRB/bulletins/34db823) applies to non-domestic wells only; domestic exemption reaffirmed 2025-08-06 (https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/OKWRB/bulletins/3ebc58e).
  22. Lab Services Fee Schedule FY27 (SELSD-SD-008-R4), effective 2026-07-01 , Oklahoma DEQ State Environmental Laboratory Services Division. Accessed November 8, 2026. Total coliform and E. coli P/A $33; nitrate $38; nitrate/nitrite $38; Private Well Annual panel (coliform, nitrate/nitrite, pH, conductivity) $75; Real Estate panel $104; Private Well Diagnostics $175.

How these figures are built: methodology. Updated November 2026.