New Hampshire Soil Surveys
The most common soil here is Tunbridge, on about 5% of the land: a fine sandy loam, gritty and crumbly. Marlow and Monadnock come next.
About 58% of the land drains well, and 12% stays wet for long stretches; groundwater comes within two feet of the surface under 23% of it.
USDA rates 79% of the land very limited for a standard septic drain field, and 65% very limited for homes with basements. That means extra cost or special design, not that it can't be done.
Worth knowing: 2% of the land floods occasionally or more, and bedrock lies within 40 inches under 26% 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 New Hampshire, 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.
New Hampshire has 11 USDA soil survey areas covering a wide range of landscapes and soil conditions. The most common soil order is Spodosols — acidic forest soils with a distinctive leached layer, common under conifers, making up roughly 44% of surveyed soils. Inceptisols — young soils with minimal horizon development but more than Entisols account for another 39%.
In terms of drainage, 55% of New Hampshire 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.