A new well in Montgomery County, TX typically costs about $6,000 to $13,300 in 2026 for a complete system, because the median new household well filed with the state since 2016 is 215 feet deep. A shallower well near 186 feet runs about $5,200 to $11,500.
Montgomery County, around Conroe, Magnolia, Montgomery, Willis, New Caney, and Splendora, is piney woods country north of Houston, 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 Montgomery County?
Most new household wells in Montgomery County are 186 to 265 feet deep, with a median of 215 feet. That comes from 3,708 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) | Montgomery County |
|---|---|
| Wells in the sample | 3,708 |
| Typical depth range (middle half) | 186 to 265 ft |
| Median depth | 215 ft |
| Shallowest 10% / deepest 10% | under 160 ft / over 350 ft |
| Median static water level | 65 ft below ground |
| Median pump setting | 160 ft |
| Median tested yield | 40 gallons per minute |
Static water sits about 65 feet down in a typical Montgomery County well, so the pump is usually set around 160 feet to ride out dry summers.
Which aquifer will my Montgomery County well tap?
Your well will most likely draw from the Chicot, Evangeline, or Jasper aquifers of the Gulf Coast Aquifer, the primary water supply for Montgomery County according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The TWDB Montgomery County water planning summary lists the Gulf Coast Aquifer for nearly every water system in the county.
The Lone Star GCD regulates the county’s aquifers separately, and its 5-inch casing rule shapes how most household wells here are built; see the permit section below.
How much does it cost to drill a well in Montgomery County?
Plan on about $6,000 to $13,300 for a complete well at the 215-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 (186 ft) | $5,200 to $11,500 |
| Median (215 ft) | $6,000 to $13,300 |
| Deep (265 ft) | $7,400 to $16,400 |
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 Lone Star GCD’s $500 new-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 215-foot well at $40 per foot is $8,600. Drilling only to 186 feet at the same rate would save about $1,200 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 Montgomery County wells?
Arsenic is the one to test for. A U.S. Geological Survey study of 91 Houston-area supply wells in the Evangeline and Chicot aquifers found arsenic from 0.58 to 23.5 micrograms per liter, with a median of 2.7, so most wells were well under the federal limit of 10 but some were over it (USGS SIR 2015-5071). A later USGS survey of the whole Texas Gulf Coast aquifer system found arsenic and manganese were the only trace elements above human-health benchmarks (USGS Fact Sheet 2020-3010).
Iron is the other common complaint. Six of the new household wells in our Montgomery County sample were reported to the state with iron as an undesirable constituent. Iron above 0.3 mg/L stains fixtures but is not a health standard (EPA).
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 Montgomery County?
Montgomery County is covered by the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, and every well in the county must be registered with it, including exempt household wells. Under rules effective January 1, 2026, a new household well with an inside casing of 5 inches or less that cannot pump more than 25,000 gallons a day is exempt from permits on a tract of 1.5 acres or more (or a smaller lot recorded before December 1, 1986); on more than 10 acres the same 25,000-gallon limit applies without the casing rule (LSGCD Rule 2.2). New wells must be at least 50 feet from the nearest property line, must be drilled within 120 days of the district’s Notice to Proceed, and the driller files the well report within 60 days. The new-well registration fee is $500 per well, exempt wells included (LSGCD fee schedule effective January 1, 2026).
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?
- Will you test for arsenic and iron after development, and what treatment do your recent wells near me need?
- Will you file the Lone Star GCD registration, and does my tract meet the 1.5-acre and 50-foot rules?
- 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 Montgomery County should land around $6,000 to $13,300 in 2026, based on the 215-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 Montgomery County is 215 feet deep, and the middle half range from 186 to 265 feet. Median static water level is about 65 feet, per the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
A household well in Montgomery County is permit-exempt if it has a 5-inch or smaller casing, pumps no more than 25,000 gallons a day, and sits on at least 1.5 acres, but it must be registered with the Lone Star GCD first. The registration fee is $500 as of January 2026.
Sometimes, at low levels. A USGS study of 91 Houston-area wells in the same Gulf Coast aquifers found arsenic from 0.58 to 23.5 micrograms per liter, median 2.7, against a federal limit of 10. Test a new well for arsenic so you know where yours falls.
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 · By Paul Michael