Aroostook County, ME: the USDA septic-suitability picture
Very limited
USDA puts Aroostook County, ME at "Very limited" for septic absorption fields, the dominant reading across 93.8% of the county's soil. This is the reading that pushes a project toward an engineered system rather than a conventional one, and it covers 93.8% of Aroostook County's land. The county spans 6,671.22 square miles, home to 66,776 people.
What this number does and doesn't tell you
USDA's survey covers the whole of Aroostook County, ME at once, not any single address. Budget $750-$1,850 for a real perc test on any specific parcel - that's the only figure a permit application accepts.
Aroostook County: conventional vs. engineered cost
93.8% of Aroostook County carrying a "Very limited" reading changes the realistic budget here. Conventional systems run $3,000-$8,000 where they pass; where they don't, engineered alternatives (mound or aerobic treatment, whichever the health department requires) run $10,000-$40,000 - budget toward the higher figure until a perc test says otherwise.
Aroostook County's rank among Maine counties
Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Aroostook County, ME ranks 814 most-constrained nationally, and 1 of 16 within Maine.
Further reading
How this rating is built, and its real limits · Conventional vs. engineered septic systems