County soil summary
Soil types in Bristol County, Massachusetts
The most widespread soils are Paxton, Woodbridge and Hinckley; the most common drainage class is very poorly drained (24% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.2.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 54% of land · state 72%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.2 strongly acidic · state 5.0
- Septic fields very limited
- 88% of land · state 88%
- Subject to flooding
- 12% of land, any frequency · state 8%
Most common soils in Bristol County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 69% of the mapped land; 55 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paxton | 16.8% | Well drained | 5.5 |
| Woodbridge | 10.6% | Moderately well drained | 5.2 |
| Hinckley | 9.7% | Excessively drained | 4.6 |
| Whitman | 7.9% | Very poorly drained | Not reported |
| Ridgebury | 7.6% | Poorly drained | 5.5 |
| Freetown | 6.2% | Very poorly drained | Not reported |
| Urban landLand type, not a soil series | 5.6% | — | — |
| Windsor | 5.1% | Excessively drained | 5.1 |
What this means
What the soils in Bristol County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Bristol County is strongly acidic: pH 5.2 (most land between 4.6 and 5.5). Most vegetables and lawn grasses do best around 6.0 to 7.0, so lime is often needed; blueberries, azaleas and rhododendrons like it as it is.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 46% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is fine sandy loam (43% of the land).
For your lawn and yard
On 64% of the land, rain soaks in slowly (hydrologic groups C and D, including dual groups that are D until drained). Expect runoff and puddles after heavy rain: core-aerate compacted lawns and keep ground sloping away from foundations.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 38% of the land, often in spring. Basements, sump pumps and lawns in low spots feel it first.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 88% of the land in Bristol County very limited, 3% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (9% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
That is close to the state as a whole (88% very limited).
Where the soil is very limited (slow permeability, a high water table, flooding, shallow bedrock or steep slopes), alternative systems such as mound or sand-filter designs are common and cost more.
Flooding is mapped on 12% of the land (0% occasional, 3% 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 very poorly drained (24%). 54% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 72% across Massachusetts.
Show as a table
| Category | Bristol County | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 15.0% | 13.5% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 2.6% | 10.4% |
| Well drained | 21.5% | 32.9% |
| Moderately well drained | 15.1% | 15.1% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 9.8% | 7.2% |
| Very poorly drained | 23.8% | 10.6% |
| Not rated | 12.2% | 10.2% |
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 | Bristol County | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.9% |
| Somewhat limited | 2.8% | 3.0% |
| Very limited | 88.4% | 87.7% |
| Not rated | 8.8% | 8.3% |
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 | Bristol County | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 21.6% | 24.5% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 5.3% | 13.1% |
| C: slow infiltration | 17.6% | 16.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 17.3% | 16.3% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 6.6% | 3.4% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 10.7% | 8.0% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 11.9% | 10.2% |
| Not rated | 9.1% | 8.6% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Bristol County | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 81.6% | 87.7% |
| Rare or very rare | 9.3% | 4.5% |
| Occasional | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 2.7% | 2.6% |
| Not reported | 6.3% | 4.4% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Bristol County | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 38.0% | 24.6% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 29.7% | 19.7% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 31.3% | 54.8% |
| Not reported | 1.0% | 1.0% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.2 (strongly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 4.6 and 5.5. Median topsoil organic matter is 10%.
Show as a table
| Category | Bristol County | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 37.9% | 61.0% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 26.5% | 17.6% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.8% | 0.1% |
| Not reported | 34.6% | 20.0% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Bristol County | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 20.7% | 20.2% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 45.9% | 58.3% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 23.3% | 10.9% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 10.2% | 10.6% |
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
- Bristol County, Massachusetts (FIPS 25005): 360,043 acres of mapped land, 24,925 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Massachusetts.
- 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.