County soil summary
Soil types in Hamilton County, Ohio
The most widespread soils are Eden, Switzerland and Rossmoyne; the most common drainage class is well drained (37% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 6.5.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 51% of land · state 52%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 6.5 slightly acidic · state 6.2
- Septic fields very limited
- 42% of land · state 92%
- Subject to flooding
- 6% of land, any frequency · state 6%
Most common soils in Hamilton County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 81% of the mapped land; 71 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban landLand type, not a soil series | 35.4% | — | — |
| Eden | 15.6% | Well drained | 6.0 |
| Alfic UdarentsGeneral soil group, not a named series | 14.0% | — | — |
| UdorthentsGeneral soil group, not a named series | 7.1% | — | — |
| Switzerland | 3.0% | Well drained | 5.9 |
| Rossmoyne | 2.3% | Moderately well drained | 5.9 |
| Cincinnati | 2.0% | Well drained | 5.9 |
| Bonnell | 1.6% | Well drained | 5.9 |
What this means
What the soils in Hamilton County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Hamilton County is slightly acidic: pH 6.5 (most land between 5.0 and 6.8), the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 50% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silty clay loam (25% of the land).
For your lawn and yard
Most land is in hydrologic groups B and C, where rain soaks in at a moderate pace.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 42% of the land in Hamilton County very limited, 3% somewhat limited and 8% not limited (47% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
Statewide, 92% of the land is very limited, so Hamilton County is less restrictive than typical.
Flooding is mapped on 6% of the land (5% 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 (37%). 51% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 52% across Ohio.
Show as a table
| Category | Hamilton County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Well drained | 36.5% | 30.8% |
| Moderately well drained | 14.7% | 20.6% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 1.2% | 22.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.2% | 5.9% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.1% | 13.5% |
| Not rated | 47.3% | 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 | Hamilton County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 7.8% | 0.2% |
| Somewhat limited | 2.5% | 1.1% |
| Very limited | 42.3% | 91.5% |
| Not rated | 47.3% | 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 | Hamilton County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 1.5% | 4.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 7.3% | 11.7% |
| C: slow infiltration | 6.8% | 18.8% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 35.5% | 22.1% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 0.5% | 5.2% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 1.0% | 30.1% |
| Not rated | 47.3% | 7.3% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Hamilton County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 47.6% | 87.5% |
| Rare or very rare | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Occasional | 4.5% | 3.2% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 1.4% | 2.6% |
| Not reported | 46.3% | 6.4% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Hamilton County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 1.7% | 49.0% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 6.1% | 15.3% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 46.0% | 29.5% |
| Not reported | 46.3% | 6.3% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 6.5 (slightly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 5.0 and 6.8. Median topsoil organic matter is 1.8%.
Show as a table
| Category | Hamilton County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 11.3% | 19.5% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 11.6% | 48.5% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 26.9% | 23.0% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 2.9% | 1.5% |
| Not reported | 47.3% | 7.5% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Hamilton County | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 50.2% | 88.3% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 2.4% | 2.9% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 47.3% | 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
- Hamilton County, Ohio (FIPS 39061): 258,304 acres of mapped land, 5,745 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.