County soil summary
Soil types in Jefferson County, Kentucky
The most widespread soils are Crider, Shrouts and Beasley; the most common drainage class is well drained (38% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.9.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 50% of land · state 89%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.9 moderately acidic · state 5.9
- Septic fields very limited
- 45% of land · state 79%
- Subject to flooding
- 11% of land, any frequency · state 12%
Most common soils in Jefferson County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 75% of the mapped land; 36 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban landLand type, not a soil series | 35.9% | — | — |
| Alfic UdarentsGeneral soil group, not a named series | 10.4% | — | — |
| UdorthentsGeneral soil group, not a named series | 7.2% | — | — |
| Crider | 6.4% | Well drained | 6.2 |
| Shrouts | 5.0% | Well drained | 6.8 |
| Beasley | 5.0% | Well drained | 5.9 |
| Faywood | 3.0% | Well drained | 6.5 |
| Caneyville | 2.5% | Well drained | 5.9 |
What this means
What the soils in Jefferson County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Jefferson County is moderately acidic: pH 5.9 (most land between 5.1 and 6.8). Many vegetables grow well here, and some gardens benefit from a little lime. Test before adding any.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 50% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (46% of the land).
For your lawn and yard
Most land is in hydrologic groups B and C, where rain soaks in at a moderate pace.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 45% of the land in Jefferson County very limited, 7% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (49% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
Statewide, 79% of the land is very limited, so Jefferson County is less restrictive than typical.
Flooding is mapped on 11% of the land (5% occasional, 2% frequent).
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Drainage
How long the soil stays wet
The most common drainage class is well drained (38%). 50% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 89% across Kentucky.
Show as a table
| Category | Jefferson County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.5% | 1.7% |
| Well drained | 38.1% | 72.3% |
| Moderately well drained | 11.6% | 15.2% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 3.2% | 4.9% |
| Poorly drained | 1.6% | 2.2% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.4% | 0.1% |
| Not rated | 44.7% | 3.5% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating for conventional drain fields
The rating looks at the soil from 24 to 60 inches deep: permeability, depth to a seasonal water table or bedrock, flooding and slope. “Very limited” means at least one feature is unfavorable enough that a conventional field is hard to make work.
Show as a table
| Category | Jefferson County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Somewhat limited | 6.6% | 10.6% |
| Very limited | 44.5% | 79.4% |
| Not rated | 48.9% | 10.0% |
Rain, runoff and water table
Hydrologic soil group, flooding, seasonal water table
Hydrologic soil group
How fast rain soaks in when the soil is already wet. Group A soaks in fastest, D slowest.
Show as a table
| Category | Jefferson County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 1.7% | 8.2% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 9.6% | 30.3% |
| C: slow infiltration | 11.8% | 25.8% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 23.1% | 14.2% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 1.1% | 3.5% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 3.7% | 7.8% |
| Not rated | 48.9% | 10.0% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Jefferson County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 84.0% | 79.7% |
| Rare or very rare | 4.5% | 2.2% |
| Occasional | 4.7% | 6.7% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 1.6% | 3.5% |
| Not reported | 5.1% | 7.9% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Jefferson County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 6.3% | 8.1% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 16.3% | 12.6% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 72.3% | 73.4% |
| Not reported | 5.1% | 5.9% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.9 (moderately acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 5.1 and 6.8. Median topsoil organic matter is 2%.
Show as a table
| Category | Jefferson County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 9.4% | 27.2% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 24.0% | 45.9% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 17.7% | 15.7% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.0% | 1.2% |
| Not reported | 48.9% | 10.0% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Jefferson County | Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 0.0% | 1.0% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 49.9% | 84.9% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 1.2% | 4.0% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 48.9% | 10.0% |
Sources & data dates
- Source
- USDA NRCS Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO), queried through Soil Data Access. Public domain.
- Data date
- SSURGO as published on November 3, 2026 (most recent survey area update October 26, 2026). NRCS refreshes SSURGO each October.
- Scope
- Jefferson County, Kentucky (FIPS 21111): 244,941 acres of mapped land, 9,715 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Kentucky.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped land area: each map unit’s acres in the county times each soil component’s percentage. Open water is excluded. Topsoil values use the first mineral horizon of each component. Full methodology.