County soil summary
Soil types in Rutherford County, Tennessee
The most widespread soils are Talbott, Gladeville and Bradyville; the most common drainage class is well drained (73% of the land), and typical topsoil pH is 5.8.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 78% of land · state 85%
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.8 moderately acidic · state 5.3
- Septic fields very limited
- 70% of land · state 82%
- Subject to flooding
- 12% of land, any frequency · state 15%
Most common soils in Rutherford County
Share of mapped land
A county is a patchwork of many soils. These 8 cover 68% of the mapped land; 41 named soil series are mapped here in all.
| Soil | Share of land | Drainage | Topsoil pH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talbott | 14.3% | Well drained | 5.6 |
| Gladeville | 14.2% | Well drained | 7.3 |
| Rock outcropLand type, not a soil series | 11.0% | — | — |
| Bradyville | 9.3% | Well drained | 5.8 |
| Cumberland | 5.9% | Well drained | 5.6 |
| Harpeth | 4.9% | Well drained | 5.6 |
| Lomond | 4.8% | Well drained | 5.8 |
| Egam | 4.0% | Well drained | 6.5 |
What this means
What the soils in Rutherford County mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For your garden
Typical topsoil in Rutherford County is moderately acidic: pH 5.8 (most land between 5.6 and 7.3). Many vegetables grow well here, and some gardens benefit from a little lime. Test before adding any.
Loamy topsoil (loam, silt loam and similar) covers 85% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (54% of the land).
78% of the land is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For your lawn and yard
On 64% 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.
For a septic system
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 70% of the land in Rutherford County very limited, 16% somewhat limited and 0% not limited (14% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
Statewide, 82% of the land is very limited, so Rutherford 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 12% of the land (9% occasional, 3% 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 (73%). 78% of the land is moderately well drained or better, compared with 85% across Tennessee.
Show as a table
| Category | Rutherford County | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% | 2.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.3% | 11.6% |
| Well drained | 73.1% | 57.1% |
| Moderately well drained | 5.0% | 14.7% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 2.6% | 4.5% |
| Poorly drained | 5.2% | 4.2% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Not rated | 13.8% | 5.9% |
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 | Rutherford County | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Somewhat limited | 16.2% | 12.7% |
| Very limited | 70.3% | 81.9% |
| Not rated | 13.6% | 5.3% |
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 | Rutherford County | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 2.0% | 9.9% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 19.9% | 39.3% |
| C: slow infiltration | 37.8% | 19.3% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 20.2% | 13.2% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 1.0% | 5.7% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 5.1% | 6.4% |
| Not rated | 13.9% | 6.2% |
Flooding
Show as a table
| Category | Rutherford County | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| No flooding | 77.7% | 80.3% |
| Rare or very rare | 0.0% | 1.4% |
| Occasional | 9.3% | 8.5% |
| Frequent or very frequent | 3.1% | 5.0% |
| Not reported | 9.9% | 4.8% |
Seasonal high water table
Show as a table
| Category | Rutherford County | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Within 18 inches at some time of year | 8.6% | 12.1% |
| 18 inches to 3.3 feet | 5.4% | 10.5% |
| Deeper than 3.3 feet or none reported | 76.0% | 73.0% |
| Not reported | 9.9% | 4.4% |
Topsoil pH and texture
First mineral layer of each soil
Typical topsoil pH is 5.8 (moderately acidic); 80% of rated land falls between 5.6 and 7.3. Median topsoil organic matter is 2%.
Show as a table
| Category | Rutherford County | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 1.6% | 58.1% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 54.4% | 26.3% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 30.2% | 9.3% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Not reported | 13.8% | 6.2% |
Texture
Show as a table
| Category | Rutherford County | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Loamy (loam, silt loam and similar) | 84.8% | 91.8% |
| Clayey (40%+ clay) | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| Organic (muck or peat) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Not reported (rock, urban land, etc.) | 13.8% | 6.2% |
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
- Rutherford County, Tennessee (FIPS 47149): 392,949 acres of mapped land, 6,351 acres of open water excluded. State comparisons pool all mapped land in Tennessee.
- 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.