Chariton County, MO's soil, for a septic absorption field

Very limited

In Chariton County, MO, 97.6% of the surveyed land carries a "Very limited" rating for a standard septic drain field. Expect the ground itself to work against a plain gravity system; USDA's strictest bucket alone covers 97.6% of the county. Chariton County covers 751.178 square miles and counts 7,397 residents.

This is a county figure, not a parcel figure

Two lots a mile apart in Chariton County can carry different soil, even though they share one countywide rating. A site-specific perc test, usually $750-$1,850, is what a health department will actually require before permitting a lot in Chariton County.

System cost, conventional vs. engineered

Given Chariton County's rating, plan for the engineered-system range rather than the conventional one. The engineered-system range, $10,000-$40,000 (mound or aerobic treatment), is the more realistic number to plan around, against $3,000-$8,000 for a conventional system on the rare lot that passes.

How Chariton County, MO compares

Nationally, Chariton County, MO is the 312-most-constrained of 3,058 rated counties for septic soil. Within Missouri alone it ranks 33 of 114.

Before you act on this

How this rating is built, and its real limits · Conventional vs. engineered septic systems