State soil summary
Soil types in West Virginia
The most widespread soil series in West Virginia are Gilpin, Berks, Upshur. Pick a county below, or enter a ZIP code for the county you live in.
- Well or moderately well drained
- 95% of mapped land
- Typical topsoil pH
- 5.1 strongly acidic · most land 4.4–6.0
- Septic fields very limited
- 96% <1% not limited
- Subject to flooding
- 6% of land, any frequency
West Virginia counties
2 county reports, by population
| County | Most common soil | Well drained | Topsoil pH | Septic very limited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kanawha County | Gilpin | 93% | 4.7 | 93% |
| Berkeley County | Hagerstown | 87% | 5.5 | 75% |
What this means
What West Virginia soils mean for gardens, lawns and septic systems
For gardens
Typical topsoil in West Virginia is strongly acidic: pH 5.1 (most land between 4.4 and 6.0). 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 95% of the land: generally the easiest soil to garden, holding moisture without staying waterlogged. The most common surface texture is silt loam (39% of the land).
95% of the land is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.
For lawns and yards
On 53% 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 septic systems
For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 96% of the land in West Virginia very limited, 2% somewhat limited and <1% not limited (2% not rated, such as urban land, pits or water).
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 6% of the land (4% occasional, <1% frequent).
Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.
Statewide mix
Share of all mapped land
Drainage
Show as a table
| Category | Share of land |
|---|---|
| Excessively drained | 0.0% |
| Somewhat excessively drained | 2.1% |
| Well drained | 84.8% |
| Moderately well drained | 8.5% |
| Somewhat poorly drained | 0.5% |
| Poorly drained | 1.6% |
| Very poorly drained | 0.2% |
| Not rated | 2.4% |
Septic absorption fields
Show as a table
| Category | Share of land |
|---|---|
| Not limited | 0.1% |
| Somewhat limited | 2.2% |
| Very limited | 95.6% |
| Not rated | 2.2% |
Topsoil pH
Show as a table
| Category | Share of land |
|---|---|
| Strongly acidic (below 5.5) | 69.5% |
| Moderately to slightly acidic (5.5–6.4) | 21.9% |
| Near neutral (6.5–7.3) | 5.7% |
| Alkaline (7.4 and up) | 0.4% |
| Not reported | 2.5% |
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
- West Virginia: 12,480,581 acres of mapped land in 55 counties, pooled (not an average of county figures).
- 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.