County soil summary
Soil types in Gloucester County, New Jersey
The most widespread soils are Aura, Freehold and Downer; the most common drainage class is well drained (54% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.7.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 70% of land · state 62%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.7 moderately acidic · state 5.0
- Septic fields very limited
- 91% of land · state 90%
- Subject to flooding
- 14% of land, any frequency · state 18%
Most common soils in Gloucester County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 65% of the mapped land; 42 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aura | 13.3% | Well drained | 4.0 |
| Freehold | 10.6% | Well drained | 5.8 |
| Downer | 10.3% | Well drained | 6.3 |
| Sassafras | 8.3% | Well drained | 6.0 |
| Urban landLand type, not a soil series | 7.8% | — | — |
| Woodstown | 5.8% | Moderately well drained | 5.7 |
| Manahawkin | 5.1% | Very poorly drained | 5.2 |
| UdorthentsGeneral soil group, not a named series | 3.8% | — | — |
What this means
What the soils in Gloucester County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Gloucester County is moderately acidic: pH 5.7 (most land between 4.0 and 6.3). 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 57% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is sandy loam (43% of the land).
70% of the land is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For your lawn and yard
Most land is in hydrologic groups B and C, where rain soaks in at a moderate pace.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 22% 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 91% of the land in Gloucester County very limited, <1% 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 (90% 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 14% of the land (1% occasional, 10% 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 (54%). 70% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 62% across New Jersey.
Show as a table
| Category | Gloucester County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 2.2% | 5.3% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.2% | 4.5% |
| Well drained | 54.4% | 36.6% |
| Moderately well drained | 13.1% | 15.4% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 3.4% | 5.9% |
| Poorly drained | 8.9% | 9.5% |
| Very poorly drained | 9.7% | 13.6% |
| Not rated | 7.8% | 9.0% |
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 | Gloucester County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 1.2% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.5% | 2.9% |
| Very limited | 90.9% | 89.7% |
| Not rated | 8.6% | 6.1% |
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 | Gloucester County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 13.8% | 19.9% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 46.5% | 21.5% |
| C: slow infiltration | 4.3% | 17.8% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 4.5% | 10.6% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 11.5% | 15.9% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 6.4% | 2.8% |
| Not rated | 8.6% | 6.8% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Gloucester County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 86.5% | 82.0% |
| Rare or very rare | 2.0% | 2.4% |
| Occasional | 1.2% | 2.1% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 10.3% | 13.4% |
| Not reported | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Gloucester County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 22.1% | 32.1% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 13.4% | 15.8% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 64.5% | 52.1% |
| Not reported | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.7 (moderately acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 4.0 and 6.3. Median topsoil organic matter is 1.6%.
Show as a table
| Category | Gloucester County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 37.7% | 62.1% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 53.3% | 22.5% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 0.3% | 2.9% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Not reported | 8.6% | 11.4% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Gloucester County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 23.0% | 24.8% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 56.7% | 53.1% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 11.6% | 13.7% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 8.6% | 8.2% |
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
- Gloucester County, New Jersey (FIPS 34015): 206,059 acres of mapped land, 10,923 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in New Jersey.
- 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.