A new well in Wise County, TX typically costs about $6,200 to $13,600 in 2026 for a complete system, because the median new household well filed with the state since 2016 is 220 feet deep. A shallower well near 180 feet runs about $5,000 to $11,200.
Wise County, around Decatur, Bridgeport, Boyd, Chico, Paradise, and Alvord, is ranch country northwest of Fort Worth, 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 Wise County?
Most new household wells in Wise County are 180 to 300 feet deep, with a median of 220 feet. That comes from 3,760 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) | Wise County |
|---|---|
| Wells in the sample | 3,760 |
| Typical depth range (middle half) | 180 to 300 ft |
| Median depth | 220 ft |
| Shallowest 10% / deepest 10% | under 140 ft / over 380 ft |
| Median static water level (1,877 wells reporting) | 90 ft below ground |
| Median pump setting | 180 ft |
| Median tested yield | 15 gallons per minute |
Static water sits about 90 feet down in a typical Wise County well, so the pump is usually set around 180 feet to ride out dry summers.
Which aquifer will my Wise County well tap?
Your well will most likely draw from the Trinity Aquifer, which the TWDB Wise County water planning summary lists for rural water systems. In the Upper Trinity GCD’s area it is made up of the Paluxy, Glen Rose, Twin Mountains, and Antlers formations (UTGCD management plan).
Wise wells are fairly shallow and consistent: half of new household wells land between 180 and 300 feet.
How much does it cost to drill a well in Wise County?
Plan on about $6,200 to $13,600 for a complete well at the 220-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 (180 ft) | $5,000 to $11,200 |
| Median (220 ft) | $6,200 to $13,600 |
| Deep (300 ft) | $8,400 to $18,600 |
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 Upper Trinity GCD’s $600 registration fee and $100 refundable report deposit. 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 220-foot well at $40 per foot is $8,800. Drilling only to 180 feet at the same rate would save about $1,600 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 Wise County wells?
TWDB says Trinity Aquifer water is generally fresh but very hard where the aquifer is at or near the surface, and that dissolved solids, sulfate, and chloride tend to rise as the aquifer gets deeper (TWDB).
The Upper Trinity GCD describes Paluxy and Twin Mountains water as fresh to slightly saline (UTGCD management plan).
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 Wise County?
Wise County is covered by the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, which also covers Hood, Montague, and Wise. A well used only for household water needs no permit or meter at any size, but it must be registered and the district must approve the registration before drilling; after approval you have 120 days to drill (UTGCD rules, adopted August 27, 2026). Wells pumping 8 gpm or less must be 150 feet from other wells and 50 feet from the property line, on at least 2 acres (5 acres where the Trinity is thin). The district’s fee page lists a $600 non-refundable new well registration fee plus a $100 deposit refunded when the driller files the well report (UTGCD forms and fees, checked October 29, 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?
- Which Trinity sand will you finish in, and what have your recent wells near me tested for hardness and iron?
- Will you register the well with the Upper Trinity GCD, and does my tract meet the 2-acre and spacing 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 Wise County should land around $6,200 to $13,600 in 2026, based on the 220-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 Wise County is 220 feet deep, and the middle half range from 180 to 300 feet. Median static water level is about 90 feet, per the TWDB Submitted Driller’s Report database.
A household well in Wise County needs no permit, but it must be registered with the Upper Trinity GCD and approved before drilling. The district lists a $600 registration fee plus a $100 refundable deposit, and wells need at least 2 acres and 50 feet from the property line.
Most new household wells in Wise County filed with the state since 2016 are 180 to 300 feet deep, with a median of 220 feet and static water about 90 feet down, per TWDB driller reports. The median tested yield is 15 gallons per minute.
Sources: depth, water level, yield, pump, and injurious-water 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 sources linked above. District rules and fees were checked on each district’s own site on October 29, 2026. 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