Soil series profile
Hosmer soil series
Hosmer is a moderately well drained soil with a silt loam surface, mapped on 898,861 acres in 68 counties across 3 states. Hydrologic group C/D.
- Drainage class
- Moderately well drained >99% of mapped acres
- Hydrologic group
- C/D 45% of mapped acres
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.5 strongly acidic · range 5.5–6.6
- Mapped area
- 899k acres in 68 counties, 3 states
Typical Hosmer profile
Texture and pH by depth
Show as a table
| Depth | Texture | pH | Clay | Sand | Organic matter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–9 in (Ap) | Silt loam | 5.5 | 18% | 5% | 2.5% |
| 9–25 in (Bt) | Silt loam | 5.0 | 26% | 7% | 0.3% |
| 25–80 in (Btx) | Silt loam | 5.3 | 21% | 12% | 0.2% |
What this means
What Hosmer soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in Hosmer soils is strongly acidic: pH 5.5 (most land between 5.5 and 6.6). 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 >99% of mapped Hosmer acres: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (>99% of mapped Hosmer acres).
100% of mapped Hosmer acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
On 100% 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.
A seasonal high water table comes within 18 inches of the surface on 34% of mapped acres, 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 >99% of the acres in mapped Hosmer 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 Hosmer soil is found
Mapped acres
Hosmer is mapped in Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana. The 60 counties with the most Hosmer acres:
| County | Acres | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson County, IL | 59,161 | 29.5% |
| Union County, IL | 57,583 | 24.0% |
| Daviess County, KY | 53,536 | 18.2% |
| Henderson County, KY | 45,465 | 16.2% |
| Massac County, IL | 43,766 | 30.8% |
| Livingston County, KY | 39,040 | 19.7% |
| Hopkins County, KY | 38,993 | 11.2% |
| Webster County, KY | 38,604 | 18.0% |
| Daviess County, IN | 37,628 | 13.7% |
| Crittenden County, KY | 36,524 | 15.9% |
| Gibson County, IN | 35,560 | 11.5% |
| McLean County, KY | 33,773 | 20.8% |
| Warrick County, IN | 33,211 | 13.7% |
| Vanderburgh County, IN | 30,650 | 20.6% |
| Jackson County, IL | 26,328 | 7.4% |
| Pike County, IN | 22,266 | 10.5% |
| Saline County, IL | 22,105 | 9.1% |
| Pulaski County, IL | 21,951 | 18.6% |
| Pope County, IL | 20,786 | 9.6% |
| Knox County, IN | 18,977 | 5.8% |
| White County, IL | 14,047 | 4.6% |
| Spencer County, IN | 13,213 | 5.2% |
| Muhlenberg County, KY | 12,805 | 4.3% |
| Williamson County, IL | 12,196 | 4.7% |
| Gallatin County, IL | 12,151 | 5.9% |
| Hardin County, IL | 10,701 | 10.4% |
| Ohio County, KY | 10,014 | 2.7% |
| Crawford County, IL | 8,871 | 3.2% |
| Wabash County, IL | 8,667 | 6.1% |
| Bond County, IL | 8,000 | 3.3% |
| Edwards County, IL | 7,583 | 5.4% |
| Monroe County, IN | 7,211 | 2.9% |
| Lawrence County, IL | 6,999 | 3.0% |
| Union County, KY | 6,335 | 2.9% |
| Hancock County, KY | 6,184 | 5.1% |
| Posey County, IN | 5,123 | 2.0% |
| Lawrence County, IN | 4,279 | 1.5% |
| Grayson County, KY | 3,104 | 1.0% |
| Breckinridge County, KY | 2,867 | 0.8% |
| Clark County, IL | 2,696 | 0.9% |
| Caldwell County, KY | 2,628 | 1.2% |
| Christian County, KY | 2,609 | 0.6% |
| Alexander County, IL | 2,211 | 1.6% |
| Meade County, KY | 1,443 | 0.7% |
| Logan County, KY | 1,415 | 0.4% |
| Fayette County, IL | 1,320 | 0.3% |
| Vigo County, IN | 1,181 | 0.5% |
| Clay County, IN | 1,096 | 0.5% |
| Sullivan County, IN | 1,049 | 0.4% |
| Warren County, KY | 998 | 0.3% |
| Perry County, IL | 669 | 0.2% |
| Todd County, KY | 640 | 0.3% |
| Edgar County, IL | 495 | 0.1% |
| Putnam County, IN | 493 | 0.2% |
| St. Clair County, IL | 384 | 0.1% |
| Parke County, IN | 357 | 0.1% |
| Butler County, KY | 271 | 0.1% |
| Perry County, IN | 200 | 0.1% |
| Greene County, IN | 128 | 0.0% |
| Randolph County, IL | 113 | 0.0% |
Septic absorption fields
NRCS rating, share of Hosmer acres
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.0% |
| Somewhat limited | 0.0% |
| Very limited | 99.9% |
| Not rated | 0.1% |
Drainage, water table and flooding
Share of Hosmer acres
- Depth to seasonal high water table
- About 1.7 feet (20 in) (median where reported); within 18 inches on 34% of acres.
- Flooding
- Not mapped as flooding on most acres.
- Slope
- Typically 4–14% (median 7%).
- Topsoil organic matter
- Median 1.5%.
Drainage class
Show as a table
| Category | Share of acres |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Well drained | 0.8% |
| Moderately well drained | 99.2% |
| 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 | 0.0% |
| C: slow infiltration | 40.4% |
| D: very slow infiltration (clayey, shallow or wet) | 14.4% |
| 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 | 45.2% |
| Not rated | 0.1% |
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 Hosmer (component kind "Series") in SSURGO: 898,861 acres.
- Method
- Shares are by mapped acres of Hosmer components. The profile comes from the single largest Hosmer component. Full methodology.