Soil series profile
Bethlehem soil series
Bethlehem is a well drained soil with a sandy loam surface, mapped on 220,037 acres in 49 counties across 4 states. Hydrologic group C.
- Drainage class
- Well drained 100% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- C 81% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.2 strongly acidic · range 5.0–5.8
- Mapped area
- 220k acres in 49 counties, 4 states
Typical Bethlehem profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 in (A) | Sandy loam | 5.8 | 14% | 70% | 0.5% |
| 3–7 in (BE) | Sandy clay loam | 5.8 | 31% | 54% | 0.25% |
| 7–27 in (Bt) | Clay | 5.8 | 45% | 36% | 0.25% |
| 27–80 in (Cr) | Bedrock | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
What this means
What Bethlehem soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Bethlehem soils is strongly acidic: pH 5.2 (most land between 5.0 and 5.8). 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 96% of mapped Bethlehem acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is sandy loam (49% of mapped Bethlehem acres).
100% of mapped Bethlehem acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
On >99% of mapped acres, 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 100% of the acres in mapped Bethlehem soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not 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.
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Where Bethlehem soil is found
Mapped acres
Bethlehem is mapped in South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama and Georgia.
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg County, SC | 46,167 | 9.0% |
| Cleveland County, NC | 30,994 | 11.2% |
| Rutherford County, NC | 22,667 | 6.8% |
| Greenville County, SC | 16,083 | 3.2% |
| Anderson County, SC | 15,382 | 3.4% |
| Coosa County, AL | 13,274 | 3.5% |
| Laurens County, SC | 7,774 | 1.7% |
| Abbeville County, SC | 6,296 | 2.1% |
| Oconee County, SC | 5,155 | 1.3% |
| Newberry County, SC | 4,736 | 1.4% |
| Monroe County, GA | 4,507 | 2.1% |
| York County, SC | 4,334 | 1.0% |
| Polk County, NC | 4,246 | 3.0% |
| Fulton County, GA | 4,077 | 1.2% |
| Greenwood County, SC | 3,615 | 1.4% |
| Edgefield County, SC | 2,769 | 0.9% |
| Pickens County, SC | 2,552 | 0.8% |
| Catawba County, NC | 2,408 | 1.0% |
| Lincoln County, NC | 1,702 | 1.0% |
| Union County, SC | 1,672 | 0.5% |
| Chester County, SC | 1,542 | 0.4% |
| Cherokee County, SC | 1,508 | 0.6% |
| Gaston County, NC | 1,410 | 0.7% |
| Warren County, NC | 1,322 | 0.5% |
| Mecklenburg County, NC | 1,289 | 0.4% |
| Iredell County, NC | 1,259 | 0.4% |
| Hancock County, GA | 1,250 | 0.4% |
| Fairfield County, SC | 1,214 | 0.3% |
| Gwinnett County, GA | 1,116 | 0.4% |
| Butts County, GA | 1,098 | 1.0% |
| McCormick County, SC | 964 | 0.4% |
| Davidson County, NC | 934 | 0.3% |
| Kershaw County, SC | 729 | 0.2% |
| Rowan County, NC | 678 | 0.2% |
| Harnett County, NC | 522 | 0.1% |
| Lancaster County, SC | 414 | 0.1% |
| Granville County, NC | 332 | 0.1% |
| Saluda County, SC | 319 | 0.1% |
| Johnston County, NC | 291 | 0.1% |
| Vance County, NC | 279 | 0.2% |
| Lee County, NC | 254 | 0.2% |
| Davie County, NC | 242 | 0.2% |
| Cabarrus County, NC | 230 | 0.1% |
| Taliaferro County, GA | 218 | 0.2% |
| Randolph County, NC | 71 | 0.0% |
| Chesterfield County, SC | 62 | 0.0% |
| Durham County, NC | 43 | 0.0% |
| Forsyth County, NC | 19 | 0.0% |
| Rockingham County, NC | 16 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Bethlehem acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 100.0% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Bethlehem acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- None reported within about 6.5 feet (median where reported).
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 5–20% (median 12%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 0.5%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 100.0% |
| Moderately well drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Poorly drained | 0.0% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.0% |
Hydrologic soil group
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| A: fast infiltration (mostly sandy or gravelly) | 0.0% |
| B: moderate infiltration | 0.9% |
| C: slow infiltration | 81.2% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 17.9% |
| A/D: D as is, A if drained | 0.0% |
| B/D: D as is, B if drained | 0.0% |
| C/D: D as is, C if drained | 0.0% |
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
- All map unit components named Bethlehem (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 220,037 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Bethlehem components. The profile comes from the single largest Bethlehem component. Full methodology.