Arizona Soil Surveys
The most common soil here is Lithic Argiustolls, on about 3% of the land. Gunsight and Ustic Haplargids come next.
About 92% of the land drains well.
USDA rates 73% of the land very limited for a standard septic drain field, and 60% very limited for homes with basements. That means extra cost or special design, not that it can't be done.
Worth knowing: 4% of the land floods occasionally or more, and bedrock lies within 40 inches under 50% of it.
Soils change over short distances, so look up an address below for the soil at that exact spot and the reasons behind each rating.
The soils you're most likely standing on
The biggest named soils in Arizona, each drawn five feet deep from its official USDA description, in its recorded colors.
Dots mark gravel; white flecks mark lime. Shares are by acres across the survey area, and each mapped patch usually mixes several of these soils.
Arizona has 51 USDA soil survey areas covering a wide range of landscapes and soil conditions. The most common soil order is Aridisols — dry-climate soils with limited organic matter and often calcium carbonate accumulation, making up roughly 43% of surveyed soils. Entisols — young soils with little profile development, often on floodplains or steep slopes account for another 32%.
In terms of drainage, 77% of Arizona soils are classified as well drained. Drainage class affects everything from septic system design to basement feasibility to garden planning. Use the survey area pages below to see drainage details for specific counties, or look up any address for an exact soil profile.