A new well in Cherokee County, TX typically costs about $11,800 to $26,000 in 2026 for a complete system, because the median new household well filed with the state since 2016 is 420 feet deep. A shallower well near 220 feet runs about $6,200 to $13,600.
Cherokee County, around Rusk, Jacksonville, Alto, Wells, and New Summerfield, is East Texas sand country, where many rural homes outside a water supply corporation’s lines rely on a private well. Below are the real local depths from state well records, the water-quality issues to plan for, the permit rules, and a free way to reach a licensed local driller.
How deep are wells in Cherokee County?
Most new household wells in Cherokee County are 220 to 560 feet deep, with a median of 420 feet. That comes from 398 new domestic wells drillers reported to the state from 2016 through October 2026 in the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
| Measure (new domestic wells, 2016 to 2026) | Cherokee County |
|---|---|
| Wells in the sample | 398 |
| Typical depth range (middle half) | 220 to 560 ft |
| Median depth | 420 ft |
| Shallowest 10% / deepest 10% | under 113 ft / over 700 ft |
| Median static water level | 162 ft below ground |
| Median pump setting | 260 ft |
| Median tested yield | 15 gallons per minute |
The wide spread is not noise. Cherokee County wells tend to fall into two groups: shallow wells under about 220 feet, and deep wells in the 420 to 700 foot range. The water-quality section below explains why many owners pay for the deeper hole.
Which aquifer will my Cherokee County well tap?
Your well will most likely draw from the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, or Sparta aquifers, per the TWDB Cherokee County water planning summary.
TWDB found the largest Carrizo well yields in the four-county study area in southeastern Cherokee County, and the Sparta has a small potential, mostly in the south (TWDB Report 150).
How much does it cost to drill a well in Cherokee County?
Plan on about $11,800 to $26,000 for a complete well at the 420-foot median depth. Angi’s 2026 guide puts Texas well drilling at $28 to $62 per foot (Angi), and HomeGuide puts a complete installation, including casing, pump, wiring, and permits, at $30 to $80 or more per foot (HomeGuide). These are estimates from national cost guides applied to local depths, not local quotes.
| Well depth | Estimated 2026 cost at $28 to $62/ft |
|---|---|
| Shallow (220 ft) | $6,200 to $13,600 |
| Median (420 ft) | $11,800 to $26,000 |
| Deep (560 ft) | $15,700 to $34,700 |
Budget separately for water treatment. HomeGuide lists well-water filtration systems at $800 to $4,000 and water softeners at $1,200 to $3,800. Add the NTVGCD’s $100 exempt-well registration fee. For how the line items break down, see what it costs to drill a well in Texas. If your pump ever needs replacing, here is Texas well pump replacement cost.
Worked example: a 420-foot well at $40 per foot is $16,800. Drilling only to 220 feet at the same rate would save about $8,000 up front, but only if the shallower zone gives enough good water. Ask the driller what nearby wells at that depth produced before you choose.
What water quality problems are common in Cherokee County wells?
The rotten-egg smell is more common here. TWDB says Carrizo wells with hydrogen sulfide “appear to be more frequent in the southeastern half of Cherokee County.” Central Cherokee County’s high hills are Weches Formation rock with a relatively high iron content, and iron staining from Queen City wells is commonly reported (TWDB Report 150).
Salt rises to the southeast. Carrizo water in and south of the Mount Enterprise fault zone typically runs 300 to 700 ppm dissolved solids, deeper Sparta wells in the southeast reach 920 ppm, and Queen City water near Wells is brackish (TWDB Report 150).
For reference, the EPA’s secondary (non-health) guidelines are 0.3 mg/L for iron, 250 mg/L for sulfate and chloride, 500 mg/L for dissolved solids, and a pH of 6.5 to 8.5 (EPA). The Texas Well Owner Network guide recommends testing a new well and retesting yearly. If you plan a tankless water heater, read tankless water heaters on well water.
Do I need a permit to drill a well in Cherokee County?
Cherokee County is inside the Neches & Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District (NTVGCD), which covers Anderson, Cherokee, and Henderson counties. The district adopted new rules on October 15, 2026 and says the final text will be posted soon (NTVGCD). Under the rules posted before that (July 2024 rules), a household well is exempt from permits and production fees but must be registered, with fees paid, before drilling, and the driller sends the district the State Well Report within 60 days. The fee schedule effective March 1, 2026 sets the new exempt-well registration fee at $100 (NTVGCD fees). The version of the new rules in front of the board would tie the exemption to tract size (25,000 gallons a day on 10 acres or more, 10,000 gallons a day under 10 acres) and add property-line spacing of at least 50 feet (Board Amendment No. 2). Until the final rules are posted, confirm the limits with the district office at (903) 541-4845.
Statewide, anyone who drills a water well or installs a well pump must hold a license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the well must meet TDLR’s minimum distances from septic systems and other contamination sources, and the driller files a State Well Report for every new well. Those reports are the records behind the depth table above. Septic (OSSF) permits are separate; see aerobic vs conventional septic in Texas.
What should I ask a driller before I hire?
- Are you licensed by TDLR as a water well driller and pump installer? (Check the number at the TDLR license search.)
- What depth have your last few wells near my property reached?
- How do you price it: per foot, or a package with casing, pump, tank, and wiring included?
- Have your recent wells near me had a sulfur smell, and will you test for iron and hydrogen sulfide after development?
- Will you file the NTVGCD registration under the new October 2026 rules and send the district the State Well Report?
- What happens if the first hole does not produce enough water?
If the well tests low, a storage tank can smooth it out; see storage tanks for low-yield wells. For outages, see sizing a generator for a well pump.
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Related Texas well guides
Common questions
Most complete wells in Cherokee County should land around $11,800 to $26,000 in 2026, based on the 420-foot median depth of new domestic wells in state records and Angi’s $28 to $62 per foot Texas range. Treatment and district fees are extra.
The median new household well reported to the state from 2016 to 2026 in Cherokee County is 420 feet deep, and the middle half range from 220 to 560 feet. Median static water level is about 162 feet, per the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
You don’t need a permit for a household well in Cherokee County, but you must register it with the Neches & Trinity Valleys GCD and pay the $100 fee before drilling. The district adopted new rules on October 15, 2026 that may tie the exemption to tract size, so confirm with the office at (903) 541-4845.
That’s hydrogen sulfide. TWDB found it more often in Carrizo wells in the southeastern half of Cherokee County. If only hot taps smell, the water heater’s anode is the likely cause. If cold water smells too, test the well and ask about aeration or filtration.
Sources: depth, water level, yield, and pump data are Offsprig’s analysis of the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report download (pulled October 2026; new wells with proposed use “Domestic,” completed 2016 or later). Water-quality figures come from the TWDB and district reports linked above; older studies reflect conditions when sampled. Costs are estimates from Angi and HomeGuide 2026 per-foot ranges, not quotes. Always confirm current rules with TDLR and your groundwater district.
Updated October 2026 ยท By Paul Michael