McLennan County, Texas · Waco
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Pipes freeze in McLennan County on about 2 nights a year, mostly midwinter. Older homes, 21% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 10.6 times a year here, most often in May. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in McLennan County spike on heavy-rain days, about 10.6 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 21 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
4% of occupied homes in McLennan County heat mainly with wood or propane, below the Texas county median of 6.5%.
About 140 nights a year here stay at 65°F or warmer, so basements and crawl spaces can grow mold even without a leak.
Local risk profile
With 108,454 homes and around 266,067 residents, McLennan County is 1,037 square miles of eastern Texas. Besides Waco, the county seat, the biggest communities are Hewitt, Robinson and Bellmead. Half the homes here were built before 1983, half after.
54/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated McLennan County ranks 88 of 232 Texas counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where McLennan County ranks highest compared with other Texas counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in McLennan County sits near the middle of the state. From 2015–2024 it averaged 2 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 22 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 126th of 232 counties.
Cold snaps are the real risk. The worst in the record lasted 7 days below freezing (ending February 2021), and the low bottomed out near 0°F on February 16, 2021.
Hard freezes are uncommon here, about 22 nights a year at or below 32°F, and that's exactly why they do damage: pipes in attics, exterior walls and slab-edge plumbing are rarely insulated. The coldest night in the record was about 0°F on February 16, 2021.
Rainfall is about average for Texas. The county gets about 38.3 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 10.6 days of an inch or more (80th of 232). Those downpours cluster in April, May and October, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 7.72 inches on October 24, 2015. The worst three-day stretch dropped 10.57 inches, ending October 25, 2015, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 21 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
Texas's 232 counties range widely in housing age; McLennan ranks 117th, with 46% of its homes built before 1980.
The mix runs from 21% built before 1960 to 29% built since 2000, so older neighborhoods bring aging pipe while newer subdivisions bring failed appliance lines and water heaters.
About 25% of homes went up between 1980 and 1999. Some houses from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s were plumbed with polybutylene, a gray plastic pipe known for failing at fittings. A plumber can tell you in a few minutes whether you have it.
Renters occupy 38% of homes. If you rent, the building is usually the landlord's to repair, but your belongings are only covered by renters insurance.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 140 times a year here, close to the Texas county median of 129. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in McLennan County's occupied homes: 24% utility gas, 71% electric, 4% propane and under 1% wood. Fires here are likelier to start in the kitchen or the wiring than in the furnace. After any fire, keep the HVAC off until ducts are checked, or soot will travel through the house.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across McLennan County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Bosque, Coryell and Hill get more pipe-freeze nights than McLennan. Falls County has the oldest housing nearby, with 60% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | McLennan | Texas median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 21% | 20% | 103 of 232 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 46% | 46% | 117 of 232 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 29% | 26% | 97 of 232 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 5.2% | 13% | 205 of 232 |
| Vacant homes | 10% | 17% | 189 of 232 |
| Wood or propane heat | 3.9% | 6.5% | 167 of 232 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 2/yr | 3/yr | 126 of 232 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 11/yr | 7.8/yr | 80 of 232 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 21/yr | 27/yr | 142 of 232 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 140/yr | 129/yr | 82 of 232 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Texas county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in McLennan County: freezing from midwinter, heavy rain in April, May and October.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology