County soil summary
Soil types in Rensselaer County, New York
The most widespread soils are Bernardston, Pittstown and Nassau; the most common drainage class is well drained (31% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.3.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 65% of land · state 63%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.3 strongly acidic · state 5.5
- Septic fields very limited
- 77% of land · state 84%
- Subject to flooding
- 3% of land, any frequency · state 4%
Most common soils in Rensselaer County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 57% of the mapped land; 37 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bernardston | 13.5% | Well drained | 5.3 |
| BucklandGeneral soil group, not a named series | 13.0% | — | — |
| Pittstown | 7.0% | Moderately well drained | 5.3 |
| Nassau | 7.0% | Somewhat excessively drained | 5.0 |
| Hoosic | 5.7% | Somewhat excessively drained | 5.0 |
| GloverGeneral soil group, not a named series | 5.1% | — | — |
| Hudson | 3.2% | Moderately well drained | 6.2 |
| Rock outcropLand type, not a soil series | 2.7% | — | — |
What this means
What the soils in Rensselaer County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Rensselaer County is strongly acidic: pH 5.3 (most land between 5.0 and 6.2). 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.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 74% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is gravelly silt loam (23% of the land).
65% of the land is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For your lawn and yard
On 66% 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 26% 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 77% of the land in Rensselaer County very limited, <1% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (23% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
Statewide, 84% of the land is very limited, so Rensselaer 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.
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 (31%). 65% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 63% across New York.
Show as a table
| Category | Rensselaer County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 2.4% | 2.8% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 18.0% | 7.9% |
| Well drained | 31.4% | 32.9% |
| Moderately well drained | 13.6% | 19.2% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 5.4% | 16.6% |
| Poorly drained | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Very poorly drained | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Not rated | 22.4% | 10.0% |
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 | Rensselaer County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.4% | 3.3% |
| Very limited | 76.7% | 83.5% |
| Not rated | 22.9% | 13.0% |
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 | Rensselaer County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 9.6% | 10.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 1.7% | 12.9% |
| C: slow infiltration | 10.8% | 13.1% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 30.1% | 25.3% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 1.7% | 3.5% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 3.2% | 9.5% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 20.0% | 11.6% |
| Not rated | 22.9% | 14.2% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Rensselaer County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 73.9% | 83.0% |
| Rare or very rare | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Occasional | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 2.2% | 2.1% |
| Not reported | 22.9% | 13.3% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Rensselaer County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 25.6% | 32.8% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 24.6% | 18.5% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 41.6% | 42.9% |
| Not reported | 8.2% | 5.8% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.3 (strongly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 5.0 and 6.2. Median topsoil organic matter is 4%.
Show as a table
| Category | Rensselaer County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 48.7% | 40.7% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 26.5% | 29.9% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 0.6% | 13.2% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Not reported | 24.2% | 15.6% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Rensselaer County | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 1.5% | 5.9% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 74.2% | 76.3% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 1.4% | 2.8% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 22.9% | 14.4% |
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
- Rensselaer County, New York (FIPS 36083): 417,378 acres of mapped land, 8,322 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in New York.
- 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.