County soil summary
Soil types in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
The most widespread soils are Abbottstown, Reaville and Penn; the most common drainage class is well drained (27% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 6.1.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 47% of land · state 80%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 6.1 slightly acidic · state 5.3
- Septic fields very limited
- 80% of land · state 91%
- Subject to flooding
- 8% of land, any frequency · state 5%
Most common soils in Bucks County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 51% of the mapped land; 80 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban landLand type, not a soil series | 14.9% | — | — |
| Abbottstown | 8.2% | Somewhat poorly drained | 6.1 |
| Reaville | 6.1% | Somewhat poorly drained | 5.8 |
| Penn | 4.9% | Well drained | 6.4 |
| Croton | 4.5% | Poorly drained | 6.2 |
| Towhee | 4.4% | Poorly drained | 6.7 |
| Lansdale | 4.3% | Well drained | 5.4 |
| Neshaminy | 4.1% | Well drained | 5.4 |
What this means
What the soils in Bucks County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Bucks County is slightly acidic: pH 6.1 (most land between 5.4 and 6.4), the range most vegetables, flowers and lawn grasses prefer.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 83% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (52% of the land).
For your lawn and yard
On 63% 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 31% 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 80% of the land in Bucks County very limited, 13% somewhat limited and 3% not limited (4% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
Statewide, 91% of the land is very limited, so Bucks 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 8% of the land (5% occasional, 2% 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 (27%). 47% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 80% across Pennsylvania.
Show as a table
| Category | Bucks County | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 4.0% | 4.7% |
| Well drained | 27.3% | 51.5% |
| Moderately well drained | 15.5% | 23.3% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 22.3% | 9.3% |
| Poorly drained | 15.3% | 6.5% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.1% | 0.8% |
| Not rated | 15.3% | 3.4% |
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 | Bucks County | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 3.2% | 0.4% |
| Somewhat limited | 13.2% | 6.4% |
| Very limited | 79.8% | 91.0% |
| Not rated | 3.8% | 2.3% |
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 | Bucks County | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 3.8% | 15.8% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 17.6% | 20.3% |
| C: slow infiltration | 16.4% | 19.1% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 26.9% | 23.9% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 1.6% | 3.2% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 18.2% | 13.6% |
| Not rated | 15.4% | 3.7% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Bucks County | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 91.7% | 94.0% |
| Rare or very rare | 1.3% | 0.4% |
| Occasional | 5.4% | 2.0% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 1.6% | 2.7% |
| Not reported | 0.0% | 0.9% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Bucks County | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 31.4% | 26.1% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 21.8% | 18.0% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 46.8% | 55.6% |
| Not reported | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 6.1 (slightly acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 5.4 and 6.4. Median topsoil organic matter is 2.5%.
Show as a table
| Category | Bucks County | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 17.1% | 54.8% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 60.8% | 35.8% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 6.8% | 6.0% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 15.3% | 3.5% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Bucks County | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 1.3% | 0.4% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 83.1% | 95.8% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 15.4% | 3.6% |
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
- Bucks County, Pennsylvania (FIPS 42017): 379,353 acres of mapped land, 11,353 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Pennsylvania.
- 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.