County soil summary
Soil types in Muskegon County, Michigan
The most widespread soils are Plainfield, Covert and Pipestone; the most common drainage class is excessively drained (39% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 4.9.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 62% of land · state 53%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 4.9 very strongly acidic · state 6.0
- Septic fields very limited
- 96% of land · state 95%
- Subject to flooding
- 6% of land, any frequency · state 2%
Most common soils in Muskegon County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 66% of the mapped land; 62 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plainfield | 18.8% | Excessively drained | 5.7 |
| PlainfieldGeneral soil group, not a named series | 18.0% | — | — |
| Covert | 8.1% | Moderately well drained | 4.8 |
| Pipestone | 6.5% | Somewhat poorly drained | 4.7 |
| Roscommon | 4.6% | Poorly drained | 6.7 |
| Au Gres | 3.8% | Somewhat poorly drained | 5.0 |
| Nester | 3.5% | Well drained | 6.2 |
| Kerston | 3.1% | Very poorly drained | 6.2 |
What this means
What the soils in Muskegon County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Muskegon County is very strongly acidic: pH 4.9 (most land between 4.5 and 6.5). 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.
Sandy topsoil covers 75% of the land. It drains fast and warms early in spring, but dries out and loses nutrients quickly: mulch, compost and steady watering help. The most common surface texture is sand (62% of the land).
39% of the land is excessively or somewhat excessively drained: water moves through fast, so gardens need more frequent watering in dry spells.
For your lawn and yard
On 53% 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 35% 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 96% of the land in Muskegon County very limited, <1% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (3% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
That is close to the state as a whole (95% 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 6% of the land (0% occasional, 6% 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 excessively drained (39%). 62% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 53% across Michigan.
Show as a table
| Category | Muskegon County | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 38.9% | 9.2% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.4% | 8.5% |
| Well drained | 11.0% | 24.7% |
| Moderately well drained | 11.2% | 10.7% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 16.0% | 18.0% |
| Poorly drained | 11.2% | 13.2% |
| Very poorly drained | 8.2% | 14.1% |
| Not rated | 3.1% | 1.7% |
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 | Muskegon County | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.8% | 3.7% |
| Very limited | 96.1% | 94.7% |
| Not rated | 3.1% | 1.2% |
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 | Muskegon County | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 42.8% | 29.1% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 0.8% | 8.5% |
| C: slow infiltration | 5.9% | 8.0% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 4.6% | 8.7% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 30.7% | 17.8% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 5.9% | 10.0% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 6.0% | 16.2% |
| Not rated | 3.2% | 1.6% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Muskegon County | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 90.9% | 96.1% |
| Rare or very rare | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Occasional | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 6.1% | 1.8% |
| Not reported | 3.0% | 1.5% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Muskegon County | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 35.4% | 49.2% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 11.3% | 6.2% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 50.9% | 44.1% |
| Not reported | 2.4% | 0.5% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 4.9 (very strongly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 4.5 and 6.5. Median topsoil organic matter is 5%.
Show as a table
| Category | Muskegon County | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 57.3% | 29.3% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 24.2% | 33.6% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 10.1% | 23.0% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.0% | 4.2% |
| Not reported | 8.4% | 9.9% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Muskegon County | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 74.6% | 42.8% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 16.9% | 40.2% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 5.4% | 14.3% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 3.1% | 2.2% |
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
- Muskegon County, Michigan (FIPS 26121): 323,931 acres of mapped land, 13,163 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Michigan.
- 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.