McIntosh County, ND: the USDA septic-suitability picture

Somewhat limited

USDA puts McIntosh County, ND at "Somewhat limited" for septic absorption fields, the dominant reading across 51.9% of the county's soil. A conventional system can still work here with design changes - a larger field, added fill, or a shallower layout - but it isn't guaranteed. For scale: 974.563 square miles and 2,461 people call McIntosh County home.

Before you rely on this for one lot

McIntosh County's rating is an average across the whole county, not a promise about any one lot inside it. The real answer for one lot is still a site-specific perc test, running about $750-$1,850 (typically near $1,300).

Budgeting for a system in McIntosh County, ND

McIntosh County's soil reading pushes the likely outcome toward an engineered system rather than a conventional one. 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.

Where this sits nationally

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, McIntosh County, ND ranks 2,953 most-constrained nationally, and 47 of 53 within North Dakota.

Related guides

How this rating is built, and its real limits · How a percolation test actually works