County soil summary
Soil types in Fairfield County, Ohio
The most widespread soils are Amanda, Centerburg and Bennington; the most common drainage class is well drained (38% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 6.2.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 65% of land · state 52%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 6.2 slightly acidic · state 6.2
- Septic fields very limited
- 90% of land · state 92%
- Subject to flooding
- 8% of land, any frequency · state 6%
Most common soils in Fairfield County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 58% of the mapped land; 84 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amanda | 15.7% | Well drained | 6.2 |
| Centerburg | 11.9% | Moderately well drained | 5.9 |
| Bennington | 10.7% | Somewhat poorly drained | 6.2 |
| Cardington | 6.1% | Moderately well drained | 6.2 |
| Marengo | 4.5% | Very poorly drained | 6.5 |
| Pewamo | 3.4% | Very poorly drained | 6.4 |
| Patton | 2.6% | Poorly drained | 6.7 |
| Germano | 2.6% | Well drained | 6.3 |
What this means
What the soils in Fairfield County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Fairfield County is slightly acidic: pH 6.2 (most land between 5.3 and 6.5), the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 92% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (71% of the land).
65% of the land is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For your lawn and yard
On 81% 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 53% 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 90% of the land in Fairfield County very limited, 2% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (8% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
That is close to the state as a whole (92% 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 8% of the land (6% occasional, <1% 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 (38%). 65% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 52% across Ohio.
Show as a table
| Category | Fairfield County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Well drained | 38.3% | 30.8% |
| Moderately well drained | 26.2% | 20.6% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 16.7% | 22.0% |
| Poorly drained | 6.5% | 5.9% |
| Very poorly drained | 10.1% | 13.5% |
| Not rated | 2.1% | 6.7% |
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 | Fairfield County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Somewhat limited | 2.1% | 1.1% |
| Very limited | 90.2% | 91.5% |
| Not rated | 7.8% | 7.2% |
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 | Fairfield County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 0.8% | 4.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 11.1% | 11.7% |
| C: slow infiltration | 26.9% | 18.8% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 0.6% | 22.1% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 0.1% | 0.7% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 10.5% | 5.2% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 42.5% | 30.1% |
| Not rated | 7.7% | 7.3% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Fairfield County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 85.4% | 87.5% |
| Rare or very rare | 2.0% | 0.3% |
| Occasional | 5.7% | 3.2% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 0.7% | 2.6% |
| Not reported | 6.2% | 6.4% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Fairfield County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 52.5% | 49.0% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 7.4% | 15.3% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 33.9% | 29.5% |
| Not reported | 6.1% | 6.3% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 6.2 (slightly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 5.3 and 6.5. Median topsoil organic matter is 2.2%.
Show as a table
| Category | Fairfield County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 11.3% | 19.5% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 60.8% | 48.5% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 18.9% | 23.0% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 1.1% | 1.5% |
| Not reported | 7.9% | 7.5% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Fairfield County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 0.0% | 1.2% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 92.1% | 88.3% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 2.9% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 7.8% | 7.3% |
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
- Fairfield County, Ohio (FIPS 39045): 322,183 acres of mapped land, 3,174 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Ohio.
- 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.