Frost Line Depth in Midland, TX: Odessa Requires 12 in

No official local value

No official frost line depth is published for Midland.

Nearby official codes require 12 in (1 verified code).

Source and how we checked

We searched this place’s own code and website and found no published frost line depth.

Climate: 54 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Midland 4 Ene, 5.2 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Footings Deck Water line Fence post

12 in1 verified code within 17 mi
54nights a year at or below 32 °F
100%of nearby soil rated “none” for frost action (USDA)

Does Midland have an official frost line depth?

No adopted frost line depth found for Midland in its official documents (checked Oct 2026). The nearest official values, from codes we verified, are 12 in. Use the deepest of them until the building department confirms Midland’s own number.

What frost line depth does Midland use for footings under Table R301.2(1)? Is it 12 in, like Odessa?

Call 811 at least a few working days before you dig, so buried lines are marked.
Confirm the frost line depth with the Midland building department.
Ask whether your project needs a permit (decks, larger sheds and footings usually do).
Dig below 12 in (the deepest nearby value) unless the building department tells you otherwise.
Book the footing inspection before you pour concrete.

How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Midland?

Drawn with the deepest nearby official value (12 in). Confirm Midland’s own depth before you dig.

House or garage footing Deck footing Water service line Fence post

House or garage footing in Midland: dig at least 12 in (30 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Using the nearby official value of 12 in until Midland confirms its own
Project	Depth	Rule
House or garage footing	12 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)	12 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line	18 in	6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom	12 in	No code rule; common practice is below the frost line

Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.

How cold does it get in Midland?

Average lows are at or below freezing from Jan. 54 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 31 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Midland 4 Ene station, 5.2 mi away, elevation 2,776 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table

°F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low	31	34.9	42.3	49.7	59.7	67.4	69.7	68.7	61.8	51.5	39.8	32.2
High	60.3	65.3	73.6	82.2	89.1	94.7	95.3	94.4	88.1	80.6	68	60.5

Midland has more freezing nights than 152 of the 168 other Texas places we track. The Texas median is 32. Coldest: Amarillo; mildest: Brownsville.

What frost line depth do towns near Midland use?

One official code near Midland is verified.

Official frost line depths near Midland
Place	Verified frost line	Distance
Odessa	12 in	17 mi away

How likely is the soil in Midland to heave?

None 100%

USDA rates the sampled soil around Midland as 100% none for frost action (main soils: Midessa, Amarillo, Sharvana).

USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.

Midland at a glance

Frost line depth: No official local value
County: Midland County
Population (2023 est.): 138,397
Mean annual temperature: 65 °F
ZIP codes (6): 79701 · 79703 · 79705 · 79706 · 79707 · 79765