County soil summary
Soil types in Ocean County, New Jersey
The most widespread soils are Downer, Lakehurst and Manahawkin; the most common drainage class is well drained (24% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 4.6.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 53% of land · state 62%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 4.6 very strongly acidic · state 5.0
- Septic fields very limited
- 85% of land · state 90%
- Subject to flooding
- 38% of land, any frequency · state 18%
Most common soils in Ocean County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 64% of the mapped land; 58 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downer | 14.9% | Well drained | 6.3 |
| Lakehurst | 10.2% | Moderately well drained | 4.3 |
| Manahawkin | 9.0% | Very poorly drained | 5.2 |
| Lakewood | 8.3% | Excessively drained | 4.3 |
| Atsion | 7.4% | Poorly drained | 3.6 |
| Evesboro | 5.1% | Excessively drained | 4.3 |
| Woodmansie | 4.7% | Well drained | 4.0 |
| Berryland | 4.5% | Very poorly drained | 4.3 |
What this means
What the soils in Ocean County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Ocean County is very strongly acidic: pH 4.6 (most land between 4.0 and 7.2). 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 56% 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 (39% of the land).
For your lawn and yard
47% of the land is in hydrologic group A, where water soaks in fast. Lawns there dry out quickly; deeper, less frequent watering and organic matter help.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 46% 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 85% of the land in Ocean County very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (16% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
Statewide, 90% of the land is very limited, so Ocean County is less restrictive than typical.
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 38% of the land (1% occasional, 31% 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 (24%). 53% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 62% across New Jersey.
Show as a table
| Category | Ocean County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 13.8% | 5.3% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 1.5% | 4.5% |
| Well drained | 24.2% | 36.6% |
| Moderately well drained | 13.7% | 15.4% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 1.1% | 5.9% |
| Poorly drained | 8.1% | 9.5% |
| Very poorly drained | 23.7% | 13.6% |
| Not rated | 13.8% | 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 | Ocean County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 1.2% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% | 2.9% |
| Very limited | 84.5% | 89.7% |
| Not rated | 15.5% | 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 | Ocean County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 46.9% | 19.9% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 4.4% | 21.5% |
| C: slow infiltration | 0.2% | 17.8% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 13.0% | 10.6% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 28.8% | 15.9% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 1.7% | 2.8% |
| Not rated | 2.7% | 6.8% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Ocean County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 62.4% | 82.0% |
| Rare or very rare | 4.8% | 2.4% |
| Occasional | 1.4% | 2.1% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 31.4% | 13.4% |
| Not reported | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Ocean County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 45.7% | 32.1% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 13.8% | 15.8% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 40.5% | 52.1% |
| Not reported | 0.0% | 0.1% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 4.6 (very strongly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 4.0 and 7.2. Median topsoil organic matter is 2%.
Show as a table
| Category | Ocean County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 60.5% | 62.1% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 19.3% | 22.5% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 10.5% | 2.9% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 6.5% | 1.1% |
| Not reported | 3.2% | 11.4% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Ocean County | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 55.9% | 24.8% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 17.4% | 53.1% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 23.9% | 13.7% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 2.7% | 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
- Ocean County, New Jersey (FIPS 34029): 488,777 acres of mapped land, 22,528 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.