Knowing building construction and demolition rates reveals neighborhood growth trends, market demand, and development potential. High construction signals strong demand and rising values, while high demolition may indicate redevelopment opportunities or decline. Using serial satellite-based radar images, we surveilled a 20 square mile area over the past 5 years to gather this data, helping land buyers assess risk, identify opportunities, and time investments effectively.
This section comes in two pieces, embedded in 2 maps. Map one shows embedded housing data: Household Count, Average Household Size, Median Age, Median Home Value, Median Gross Rent, Total Housing Units, Occupied Housing Units, Owner Occupied Units, Occupied Rental Units, Vacant Housing Units, Homeownership Rate, Housing Vacancy Rate, Price-to-Income Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio.
Map 2 outlines current (acquisition time 02/26 – 08/26) and past (acquisition time 02/21 – 08/21) space born radar data. These images outline radar signatures of buildings. An addition layer, termed “Radar change” outlines changes in infrastructure (radar) comparing current to past radar images. New radar signatures (buildings) are shown in green, disappeared radar signatures (demolished buildings) in red. Layer 4 outlines a geological map of the area, legen to this map is detailed below the map and gives information relevatn to constructions.
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MINNUMMAX
ZIP–
Map Unit
Description (Shortened)
Construction Suitability Advice
Suitability Rating
afa
Alluvial-fan deposit. Yellowish-brown gravel, coarse to medium sand, and silt. Structureless, angular to subrounded pebbles/cobbles. Forms fans near rivers. Thickness 2–8 m.
Poor. Located in active drainage paths (fans). High risk of flash flooding, erosion, and debris movement. Poor compaction due to angular stones. Not recommended.
Very Poor
afb
Alluvial-fan gravelly to sandy loam. Pale-brown to yellowish-brown silty sand to sandy silt. Contains pebbles of limestone, dolomite, chert, and basalt. Gravel layers are cemented by sand, silt, and caliche. Thickness 3–12 m.
Fair. The cemented gravel layers (conglomerate) are relatively stable. However, deposits are highly variable across short distances. Requires footings on competent cemented beds, not loose sands.
Fair
alc
Alluvial- and sheetwash-fan fine sand and silt. Brown to grayish-brown silty sand and clayey silt. Commonly contains gravel. Deposited as fans on valleys. Often reworked from older deposits. Thickness 1–3 m.
Poor. Shallow, loose, fine-grained fan deposits. High risk of erosion, slope instability, and poor load-bearing capacity. Avoid slopes; requires deep foundations and drainage.
Poor
ale
Alluvial silt and clay. Dark to light-brown clay, silt, and fine sand. Contains gravel lenses near base. Underlies floodplains and low terraces. Thickness up to 20 m.
Poor. Fine, compressible soils in active flood zones. Requires deep piling, extensive drainage, and elevation above flood levels.
Very Poor
asa
Alluvial sand, silt, clay, and gravel. Light-brown, interbedded, and crossbedded. Contains calcrete gravel in the west, becoming finer eastward. Thickness 3–30 m.
Variable. Fine-grained eastern deposits are prone to uneven settling. Avoid flood-prone areas. Western deposits with calcrete are fair. Requires deep footings.
Fair to Poor
asg
Alluvial gravel, sand, silt, and clay (Pleistocene age). Orange-brown, mostly oxidized. Upper part silty/clayey; becomes gravelly downward. Gravel is mostly calcrete, chert, and quartzite. Sand is well-bedded but often loose.
Fair. Thick and moderately consolidated. Coarse gravels (calcrete/quartzite) can provide good bearing capacity if cemented. However, loose, uncemented sand interbeds require careful geotechnical probing to avoid settling.
Fair (if cemented) / Poor (if loose)
asi
Alluvial, lacustrine, and eolian deposit. Sand, silt, clay, and gravel. Contains expansive clays and soluble gypsum/salt (Permian). Thickness 30–40 m (up to 75 m).
Poor. Severe foundation shifting due to expansive clays and dissolution of gypsum/salt. Requires specialized, deep foundations and extensive testing.
Poor
aso
Cemented alluvial gravelly sand. Pale brown, light yellowish-brown sandy gravel with lime-cemented carbonate. Contains cemented caliche layers. Thickness 2–30 m (up to 80 m in depressions).
Fair to Poor. The cemented caliche layers provide good bearing capacity, but loose uncemented interbeds are problematic. Depth and strength vary drastically; requires deep excavation to find competent strata.
Fair (Highly variable)
cab
Cemented colluvium and sheetwash alluvium. Pink to reddish-yellow gravel and sandy clay. Strongly cemented by calcium carbonate into hard, massive calcrete. Forms fan-like aprons on slopes. Thickness 3–8 m (up to 12 m).
Good (on flat areas) / Fair (on slopes). This is a hard, cemented conglomerate (calcrete) that provides excellent bearing capacity. However, because it lies on slopes, heavy drainage control is required to prevent undercutting and erosion.
Good to Fair
cbf
Boulder sandy loam colluvium. Tan to brown sand, gravel, and silt with boulder-sized fragments. Covers steep slopes and active landslides. Thickness 0.5–1.5 m.
Very Poor. Active or dormant landslide/rockfall zones. Highly unstable. Avoid entirely. Requires massive slope anchoring if unavoidable.
Very Poor
cbo
Limestone-clast silty clay colluvium. Reddish-gray clay with abundant angular limestone fragments. Nonbedded. Formed by slumping/creep. Mapped mostly in Texas. Thickness 0.2–1 m.
Very Poor. Very thin, shallow, loose slope debris over bedrock. High risk of sliding and slumping. Unsuitable for structures.
Very Poor
cbs
Red siltstone- and shale-clast locally gypsiferous loamy colluvium. Reddish-gray sandy silt loam with angular sandstone/shale slabs. Blocks of gypsum rubble present. Thickness generally <1 m.
Very Poor. Thin, loose colluvium over weak shale/red beds. Contains gypsum rubble, indicating potential subsidence. High slope instability risk.
Very Poor
cef
Pebbly sandy clay loam colluvium. Reddish-brown pebbly sandy clay with sandstone, dolomite, and limestone fragments. Mapped on upland slopes and flats in Texas. Thickness 0.2–1 m.
Poor. Loose, shallow slope wash. High erosion risk and poor bearing capacity. Requires excavation to stable subgrade and slope drainage.
Poor
cge
Calcrete-clast loam to sandy loam colluvium. Reddish-brown gravelly loam and sand. Mostly pebbles to cobbles, 10–60% calcrete fragments. Thickness generally less than 1.5 m.
Poor. Shallow, loose slope wash with poor load-bearing capacity. High risk of hillslope erosion. Requires excavation to stable bedrock.
Poor
clm
Shale- and siltstone-clast loamy colluvium. Reddish-dark grayish-brown silt loam to clay loam with shale fragments. Present at base of uplands in Oklahoma. Thickness generally less than 1 m.
Very Poor. Very thin, loose, and silty colluvium over weak shale. High risk of creep and slumping. Unsuitable for structural loads without deep excavation.
Very Poor
clq
Sandstone- and shale-clast loamy colluvium. Reddish-brown very fine sand to silt with clasts of sandstone, shale, and dolomite/gypsum rubble. Not bedded. Thickness less than 0.6 m.
Very Poor. Extremely thin, loose, and wet colluvium. Contains soluble gypsum (dissolution/subsidence risk). Highly unsuitable for any construction.
Very Poor
csl
Quartz, sandstone-clast sandy colluvium. Pale-gray, yellowish-brown fine to medium quartz sand. Contains sandstone rubble and chert clasts. Formed in local depressions. Thickness 1–5 m.
Poor. Loose granular colluvium in depressions. Poor load-bearing capacity. High water infiltration risk. Requires deep compaction or removal.
Poor
ed
Dune sand. Gray to reddish-brown fine to medium sand. Well-sorted, generally noncalcareous. Forms dunes up to 5 m high. Mostly stabilized by vegetation. Thickness 3–30 m.
Very Poor. Loose, shifting sand on steep slopes. Requires massive excavation, deep piling, significant slope stabilization, and erosion control.
Very Poor
eds
Eolian sheet sand (Blackwater Draw Formation). Reddish-brown, very light brown silty clayey, fine to medium sand. Contains calcium carbonate nodules and layers of pedogenic calcrete. Well-sorted. Mapped mostly in southern part; thickness 4–8 m.
Poor. Loose, fine-grained sandy sheet deposits. Heavily cemented calcrete layers can be dense, but loose sand between them causes poor bearing capacity. Requires deep excavation to stable subgrade; poor drainage.
Poor
es
Eolian sheet sand. Gray to reddish-brown fine silty sand. Mostly quartz. Commonly overlies older alluvial deposits. Thickness 0.5–3 m.
Poor. Shallow, loose, silty sand. Low load-bearing capacity and difficult to compact. Requires deep foundations reaching competent ground beneath.
Poor
obd
Eolian and alluvial sand, silt, and clay (Tule Formation). Grayish-brown to reddish-brown sand and clay. Forms a massive, thick (up to 28 m) deposit overlying the Ogallala Formation. Contains volcanic ash beds. Found mainly in canyon rims.
Poor. Thick, loose, non-cohesive sandy and clayey deposits. Poor load-bearing capacity and highly prone to erosion and slumping, especially on steep canyon rims. Not recommended for heavy loads.
Poor
oca
Lacustrine clay, silt, and sand (Tahoka Formation). Massive, light-gray to greenish-brown clay. Contains montmorillonite, bentonite, and illite clays. Forms high plains basins. Thickness up to 25 m.
Very Poor. Massive, highly expansive clay deposit (montmorillonite/bentonite). Severe shrinkage/swelling cause extreme foundation damage. Hard when dry but highly unstable when wet. Avoid building directly on this.
Very Poor
occ
Lacustrine sand, clay, and limestone (Blanco Formation). Light-gray to white, massive, well-bedded clay, silty sand, and hard, flaky limestone. Contains volcanic ash. Forms near base of escarpments. Underlain by Ogallala. Thickness 19–24 m.
Poor. Compact clays and hard limestone beds can bear weight, but the limestone can be fractured. Volcanic ash beds are highly compressible. Uneven settling is a major risk due to thin, alternating beds.
Poor
plc
Playa clay. Light-gray to brown clay with abundant cracks. Contains minor sand/silt, 5-8% carbonate. Found in circular closed depressions (playas) up to 100 sq km.
Very Poor. Extremely expansive clays that shrink and swell drastically. Severe foundation damage risk. Do not build in playa basins.
Very Poor
xcb
Calcareous clay disintegration residuum. Light-brown to reddish-brown silty clay to fine sand with chips of mudstone, siltstone, or sandstone. Forms from weathering in place. Contains smectite clays. Thickness 0.5–4 m.
Poor. Shallow residual soil over weak, soft, or expansive bedrock. High risk of uneven settling. Smectite clays cause severe foundation heave when wet. Requires deep footings.
Poor
xcd
Calcareous clay disintegration residuum. Light-brown to reddish-brown silty clay to fine sand with chips of mudstone, siltstone, or sandstone. Forms in place. Contains smectite clays (highly expansive). Thickness 0.5–4 m.
Poor. Shallow residual soil over weak, soft, or expansive bedrock. High risk of uneven settling. Smectite clays cause severe foundation heave when wet. Requires deep footings.
Poor
xcl
Calcareous sandy loam disintegration residuum. Reddish-brown sandy loam derived from weathered limestone, shale, and dolomite. Contains chert and gypsum fragments. Thickness 0.5–1 m.
Poor. Thin residual soil over mixed rock types. Slightly calcareous; potential for minor dissolution voids. Requires stripping and deep foundations onto solid bedrock.
Poor
xld
Gypsum and limestone dissolution residuum. Reddish-brown calcareous silt loam to clay loam. Contains blocks of gypsum, siltstone, and shale. Massive sinkhole collapse from dissolution is common. Thickness < 0.3 m over deep bedrock.
Very Poor. Extreme hazard. Gypsum dissolves rapidly, creating severe sinkhole and subsidence risks. Unsuitable for any permanent major construction without massive ground improvement.
Very Poor
xlsa
Shale and limestone-clast disintegration residuum. Light reddish-yellow clay loam derived from weathered shale. Forms over limestone beds. Contains dissolution cavities (sinkholes). Thickness less than 0.5 m.
Very Poor. Extremely thin, loose, and expansive clay residual soil. Very high risk of dissolution cavities (sinkholes) in underlying limestone. Not recommended for heavy structures.
Very Poor
xsd
Sandstone and mudstone clay loam disintegration residuum. Yellowish to light reddish-brown clay loam with angular shale and chert fragments. Forms over sloping bedrock. Thickness 5–50 m.
Fair to Poor. Significant thickness (up to 50m) offers some depth for footings, but it is a weathering product. Weak underlying mudstone/shale limits total bearing capacity. Requires slope stability designs.
Fair to Poor
xsg
Calcareous sandy loam disintegration residuum. Reddish-brown sandy loam derived from weathered limestone, shale, and dolomite. May contain chert and gypsum fragments. Thickness 0.5–1 m.
Poor. Thin residual soil with mixed rock types. Slightly calcareous; potential for minor dissolution voids. Requires careful stripping and deep foundations onto solid bedrock.
Poor
xss
Stony silty clay loam disintegration residuum. Reddish-brown silty clay loam with abundant angular rock fragments of dolomite, sandstone, and partly dissolved gypsum clasts. Thickness 0.5–1 m.
Very Poor. Very thin and loose. Contains dissolving gypsum, presenting severe subsidence/sinkhole hazard. Unsuitable for major construction without extensive ground stabilization.
Very Poor
xss
Fine sandy loam disintegration residuum. Reddish-brown to reddish-gray fine sandy loam. Formed from weathered sandstone and chert. Grades downward into unweathered sandstone. Thickness mostly less than 1 m.
Poor. Very shallow, loose, and granular residual soil. High risk of erosion and poor compaction. Requires removal and replacement or footings directly into solid sandstone.
Poor
zcb
Smectitic clay decomposition residuum. Yellowish-gray to greenish-gray clay or gray sand. Contains calcareous nodules. “Gilgai” clay—expands when wet, shrinks and cracks when dry. Grades down into marl/limestone. Thickness 1–2 m.
Very Poor. Highly expansive smectite clay. Severe shrink-swell cycles cause extreme foundation damage. Not suitable for heavy structures without massive soil replacement and moisture control.
Very Poor
zcc
Silty clay decomposition residuum. Black to dark-gray or dark-brown silty clay. Contains dark brown, dense, hard clay from humic acid/iron cementation. “Gilgai” clay—expands when wet and shrinks/cracks when dry. Thickness 0.5–1 m.
Very Poor. Deeply cracked, expansive clay. Severe foundation heave/settlement issues. Underlying weak bedrock offers no support. Unsuitable for structural loads.
Very Poor
zcd
Clay loam and fine sandy loam decomposition residuum. Reddish-brown to dark-brown clay loam. Grades down into soft, reddish-brown highly weathered sandstone/siltstone with minor feldspar. Mapped on steep slopes. Thickness up to 3 m.
Poor. Shallow residual soil over weak, highly weathered sandstone. Steep slope locations are a severe risk for creep/slumping. Very poor bearing capacity.
Poor
zcg
Sand, gravel, silt, and clay decomposition residuum. Dark-gray, olive-gray, or grayish-brown clay loam, silt loam, fine to medium sand, and gravel. Contains mostly sand with some gravel. “Gilgai” clay—expands when wet, shrinks when dry. Thickness 0.5–1.5 m.
Very Poor. High smectite clay content, despite the presence of sand/gravel. Severe shrink-swell behavior makes it highly unstable. Not recommended.
Very Poor
zch
Sandy clay loam decomposition residuum. Light to reddish-gray, fine to medium sand or sandy clay loam. Scattered calcareous nodules. Grades down into sedimentary bedrock. Includes shallow sand/clay and minor gravel. Thickness 1–2 m.
Poor. Shallow, mixed sandy/gravelly residual soil. The coarse fractions offer slightly better bearing than pure clay, but it is thin and sits on weak sedimentary bedrock. High erosion risk.
Poor
zcl
Clay loam and channery loam decomposition residuum and solution residuum. Pale to dark-grayish-brown clay loam with pebbles of limestone conglomerate, shale, and feldspar. Contains shattered shale chips. Thickness up to 2 m.
Poor. Thin, loose, channery (shaly) soil over weak shale. High risk of slumping and erosion on slopes. Poor bearing capacity requiring deep excavation to competent bedrock.
Poor
zcl
Sandy clay loam decomposition residuum. Brown to reddish-brown clay loam containing fragments of red, fine-grained sandstone, shale, and dolomite. Includes scattered chert fragments. Thickness 1–5 m.
Poor. Loose, shallow residual soil with rock fragments. Poor load-bearing capacity and high erosion risk. Requires removal and deep foundations into competent bedrock.
Poor
zcm
Silty clay decomposition residuum and cherry clay solution residuum. Reddish-brown to dark-grayish-brown silty clay. Grades down into alternating beds of shale and cherry limestone. Thickness 0.5–5 m.
Very Poor. Expansive silty clay over weak, fractured limestone and shale. High shrink-swell potential. Risk of underlying limestone dissolution (karst). Unsuitable without deep piling.
Very Poor
zcn
Cherty calcareous clay solution residuum. Light-reddish-brown to red clay, silty clay, or sandy clay. Contains chert nodules and large limestone fragments. Highly calcareous. Thickness generally < 0.5 m.
Very Poor. Extremely thin, loose, cherry/clayey soil over intensely fractured limestone. Severe risk of dissolution/sinkholes. Inadequate depth for any structural foundations.
Very Poor
zcv
Stony calcareous clay solution residuum. Chiefly dark-reddish-brown to grayish-brown clay. Contains rounded limestone fragments (30–80%) and chert. Grades downward into fractured limestone. Thickness generally 1–2 m.
Poor. Loose residual soil mixed with abundant rock fragments. The stony base offers some compaction, but the clay matrix is weak and the bedrock underneath is highly fractured. Poor bearing capacity.
Poor
zfl
Feldspathic sandy fine grus. Pink-tan, angular fragments 2–4 mm of feldspar, quartz, and fine to very coarse sand matrix. Weathered from granite/gneiss. Thickness generally 1–2 m.
Fair. The coarse, angular “grus” (weathered granite) offers decent compaction and drainage. However, it is still shallow residual material. Not ideal for heavy loads unless compacted well and footings reach bedrock.
Fair
zld
Red clay loam decomposition residuum with local gypsum rubble. Reddish-dark brownish-gray clay loam. Grades down through broken rock into hard limestone, dolomite, or siltstone. Contains dissolution sinkholes and partially dissolved gypsum rubble. Thickness less than 3 m (often less than 2 m).
Very Poor. Contains dissolving gypsum and sinkhole features, indicating severe subsidence hazard. The shallow residual clay is weak. Unsuitable for structural loads without extensive ground stabilization.
Very Poor
zls
Limonitic sandy decomposition residuum. Light-gray, yellowish-brown sandy clay to silty fine to medium quartz sand, cemented by lime/iron. Contains irregular limestone masses. Grades into shale, siltstone, and bedrock. Thickness 1–10 m.
Fair to Poor. Variable. Well-cemented caliche zones are strong but interspersed with loose sand and irregular limestone masses. Requires careful probing to find stable, solid bands of cemented material.
Fair (if cemented) / Poor (if loose)
zog
Gravelly loam and sandy clay loam colluvium. Gray to light-brown sandy clay loam. Contains small rounded pebbles of chert, limestone, and dolomite. Poorly sorted; loose. Thickness generally 0.6–1 m.
Poor. Loose, shallow slope wash. Poorly sorted and lacking consolidation. High erosion risk and poor load-bearing capacity. Requires removal and deep footings.
Poor
zqb
Quartz sand decomposition residuum. Pale-gray to reddish-brown, poorly sorted fine to medium quartz sand, partly cemented by lime. Contains irregular, hard, limestone-cemented nodules. Grades down into friable limestone. Thickness 1–3 m.
Poor. Predominantly loose, granular sand over weak, weathered limestone bedrock. Spotty cemented nodules provide little continuous support. Prone to erosion and poor bearing capacity.
Poor
zsd
Sandy decomposition residuum. Brown to dark-grayish-brown, silty fine sandy loam with angular sandstone/shale fragments. Grades down into underlying mudstone/bedrock. Mapped mostly in eastern, sloping areas. Thickness 0.5–2 m.
Very Poor. Very shallow, loose, and silty residual soil sitting directly on weak, weathered mudstone/shale. High risk of slope instability and severe erosion. Unsuitable for any heavy structural loads.
Very Poor
zsl
Clayey and silty clay decomposition residuum. Light yellowish-brown to grayish-brown, slightly clayey silt to silty clay. Grades downward into soft shale. Thickness mostly less than 1 m.
Very Poor. Extremely thin, loose, slightly expansive silty clay over very weak shale. Unacceptable bearing capacity. Unsuitable for any permanent structural loads.
Very Poor
zsp
Clayey sand and sandy clay decomposition residuum. Gray, light-brown, or orange-brown clayey fine to medium quartz sand. Contains lenses of gravel and subrounded sandstone pebbles. Thickness 1–3 m.
Poor. Variable, shallow residual soil with a mix of clay and sand. Gravel and sandstone pebbles offer localized bearing, but the loose, unconsolidated matrix is weak and prone to moisture changes.
Poor
zss
Fine sand, silty clay decomposition residuum. Light-gray to reddish-gray, fine to medium quartz sand and clay. Contains chert fragments and limestone nodules. Includes colluvium. Thickness 0.5–2 m.
Poor. Thin, mixed residual soil over limestone/chert bedrock. Cemented nodules are too sparse to provide reliable load-bearing without excavation to solid bedrock.
Poor
ztl
Clayey silt to silty clay decomposition residuum. Reddish-dark grayish-brown silty clay. Contains small chips of shale and fragments of limestone/chert. Grades downward into weaker limestone/shale. Includes colluvial slope deposits. Thickness 0.25–2 m.
Very Poor. Extremely thin, loose, and highly expansive clayey soil over weak, weathered shale. Very high risk of shrink/swell and slope creep. Unsuitable for any structural loads.
