Water damage restoration · San Marcos, Texas
Water damage restoration in San Marcos, TX
Burst pipe, failed water heater, or storm water? San Marcos-area ZIPs: 816 flood claims since 1979[1]; 23% of homes built before 1980[2]. Request help from local restoration crews. San Marcos, in Hays County and Caldwell County and Guadalupe County — ZIP 78666, counts 77,830 residents (2025 estimate)[3].
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San Marcos water damage snapshot: the key figures
- Population (2025 est.)
- 77,830[3]+14.9% since 2020
- County
- Hays / Caldwell / Guadalupe[3]city spans more than one county
- Land area
- 40.4 sq mi[4]
- Flood-insurance (NFIP) claims, local ZIPs
- 816 since 1979[1]$29,647,337 paid across 710 claims · ZIP 78666
- Flood & flash-flood reports within 10 mi
- 21[5]2016–2025 · latest Jun 12, 2025
- Winter-storm & freeze days, hays zone
- 19[5]2016–2025; hard freezes burst pipes
- Federal disaster declarations incl. flooding, Hays Co.
- 5[6]of 19 total declarations
- Homes built before 1980
- 23%[2]the highest share of the 15 Austin-area suburbs we cover
- Households renting
- 69%[2]2020–2024
What the local data means for water damage in San Marcos
San Marcos counts 77,830 residents (2025 estimate), growing at a middle-of-the-pack 14.9% since 2020[3]. The city spans 40.4 square miles at 1,925 residents per square mile (the 9th densest) and spans Hays County and Caldwell County and Guadalupe County, served by ZIP code 78666[4].
San Marcos mixes 33% of homes built since 2010 and 23% before 1980[2]: new supply lines and water heaters in one house, aging pipe and original valves in the next — so where a leak starts depends a lot on the address.
78666 is the city's single ZIP code[7].
The closest tracked neighbours are Kyle (8.9 mi N), Buda (14.8 mi N) and Dripping Springs (24.2 mi NW)[4].
816 flood-insurance claims have come from San Marcos-area ZIP codes (78666) since 1979, and $29,647,337 has been paid on them (about $41,757 per paid claim)[1]. 2015 was the worst year, with 463 claims. That is the 2nd-most of the 15 Austin-area suburbs we cover; for comparison, Kyle (835), Buda (67), and Dripping Springs (42). Outside water is a real part of the picture here. Of the 789 claims rated in a flood zone, 659 were in FEMA's high-risk areas (zones A or V) and 130 outside them (zones B, C or X)[1][8] — flooding here is not only a high-risk-zone problem.
By month of loss, San Marcos-area flood claims cluster in May (245), June (76), and October (380) — 701 of 816 dated claims[1].
Within 10 miles of central San Marcos, weather observers filed 21 flood, flash-flood or heavy-rain reports in 2016–2025 (20 flash floods)[5]. Countywide: 5 flood declarations since 2000, latest Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding (DR-4781, 2024)[6]. Nearby: Kyle (31), Buda (28), and Dripping Springs (6).
23% of San Marcos's 30,349 housing units predate 1980[2] — the highest share of the 15 Austin-area suburbs we cover (Kyle (4%), Buda (4%), and Dripping Springs (4%)). Aging supply lines and valves are the usual hidden-leak suspects in houses that old.
69% of San Marcos households rent[2]: tenants should report leaks to the landlord in writing, with photos.
Measured against the 15 suburbs on this site, San Marcos records the highest pre-1980 housing share (23%)[2], the oldest housing (by median year built) (2001)[2], the lowest median home value ($310,400)[2], and the highest renter share (69%)[2].
How a leak spreads inside a wall
Leaked water spreads outward and wicks up drywall the longer it runs.
water damage help in San Marcos: what to do next
Requests go to Water damage restoration contractors serving the San Marcos area — ZIP code 78666.
Before reaching out: what a restoration crew does first
Shared walls and ceilings: San Marcos homes by building type
62%[2] of San Marcos's homes share walls, floors or ceilings with a neighbour (multi-unit buildings alone: 58%, the highest multi-unit share of the 15 Austin-area suburbs we cover). Water crosses those lines: in an attached or stacked unit, tell the neighbour and the association or landlord right away, and check whose policy covers which part of the damage.
After detached houses, the biggest group is 50 or more units: 5,330 of 30,349 housing units[2].
San Marcos also has 751 mobile homes (2.5%); for a leak under one, ask for a crew that works on manufactured homes.
| Building type | Units | Share | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached house | 10,628 | 35.0% | ±747 |
| Attached house (townhouse, rowhouse) | 1,395 | 4.6% | ±373 |
| Duplex (2 units) | 1,141 | 3.8% | ±330 |
| 3–4 units | 2,239 | 7.4% | ±458 |
| 5–9 units | 2,336 | 7.7% | ±539 |
| 10–19 units | 3,601 | 11.9% | ±637 |
| 20–49 units | 2,906 | 9.6% | ±605 |
| 50 or more units | 5,330 | 17.6% | ±638 |
| Mobile home | 751 | 2.5% | ±212 |
| Boat, RV, van, etc. | 22 | 0.1% | ±37 |
Margins of error are the Census Bureau’s 90% intervals; small categories in small cities are rough.
San Marcos by the numbers
| Measure | San Marcos | Median of 15 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NFIP flood claims (area ZIPs) | 816 | 67 | 749 more |
| Built before 1980 | 23% | 4% | 19 pts higher |
| Renter-occupied | 69% | 31% | 39 pts higher |
| Owner-occupied | 31% | 69% | 39 pts lower |
| Median home value | $310,400 | $420,000 | 26% lower |
| Flood reports (10 mi) | 21 | 17 | 4 more |
| Median year built | 2001 | 2010 | 9 years older |
Sorted by largest difference. Each median is the middle value across the covered Austin-area suburbs, from the same sources.
| City | NFIP claims | Flood reports ≤10 mi | Freeze days | Built before 1980 | Renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Marcos | 816 | 21 | 19 | 23% | 69% |
| Kyle 8.9 mi | 835 | 31 | 19 | 4% | 33% |
| Buda 14.8 mi | 67 | 28 | 19 | 4% | 23% |
| Dripping Springs 24.2 mi | 42 | 6 | 19 | 4% | 51% |
| Bee Cave 30.0 mi | 2 | 17 | 22 | 0% | 51% |
| Lakeway 33.4 mi | 353 | 8 | 22 | 14% | 14% |
| ZIP | Claims | Paid | Busiest year | Outside high-risk zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78666 | 816 | $29,647,337 | 2015 (463) | 130 of 789 |
ZIPs extend past city limits. Outside high-risk zones: claims rated in zone B, C or X, of the claims that carry a zone.
| Year | Claims |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2017 | 23 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2015 | 463 |
| 2013 | 15 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| Month | Claims |
|---|---|
| January | 3 |
| March | 2 |
| April | 22 |
| May | 245 |
| June | 76 |
| July | 5 |
| August | 6 |
| September | 1 |
| October | 380 |
| November | 70 |
| December | 6 |
| Date | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 2025 | Flash Flood | 8.1 mi |
| Jun 12, 2025 | Flash Flood | 3.0 mi |
| Oct 26, 2023 | Flash Flood | 0.1 mi |
| Oct 26, 2023 | Flash Flood | 1.1 mi |
| Oct 26, 2023 | Flash Flood | 6.7 mi |
| Oct 26, 2023 | Flash Flood | 3.0 mi |
| Oct 14, 2021 | Flash Flood | 1.7 mi |
| Sep 29, 2021 | Flash Flood | 3.0 mi |
| ZIP (ZCTA) | Share of San Marcos's land | Share of the ZIP inside the city |
|---|---|---|
| 78666 | 91% | 17% |
Common San Marcos water damage questions
Do I need flood insurance in San Marcos?
Homeowners policies exclude outside floodwater[9], and San Marcos-area ZIPs have 30 NFIP claims in just the last ten years[1].
Which San Marcos ZIP codes do these crews cover?
78666[7], in Hays County. Nearby pages: Kyle (8.9 mi), Buda (14.8 mi), and Dripping Springs (24.2 mi)[4].
When was the last flood report near San Marcos?
Jun 12, 2025: a flash flood report 8.1 miles from the city center[5].
A lot of San Marcos homes predate 1980 — what does that mean for plumbing fixtures and water heater work?
23% of San Marcos's housing units were built before 1980, 9.2% before 1960[2] — the highest share of the 15 Austin-area suburbs we cover. Older supply lines and original shut-off valves are common failure points — know where your main shut-off is before you need it.
I rent in San Marcos. Who arranges the repair?
69% of occupied San Marcos homes are rented[2], the highest share of the 15 Austin-area suburbs we cover. Tell your landlord or property manager in writing first; your lease says who arranges repairs.
Sources
- OpenFEMA NFIP claims
- Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year (keyless bulk)
- Census population estimates, Vintage 2025
- Census Gazetteer 2025
- NOAA Storm Events Database
- OpenFEMA disaster declarations
- Census 2020 ZCTA–place file
- FEMA, Flood Zones (link unverified)
- FEMA FloodSmart (link unverified)
Data pulled Sep 28, 2026. Full citations and method.