Septic suitability in McNairy County, TN
Very limited
USDA puts McNairy County, TN at "Very limited" for septic absorption fields, the dominant reading across 96.8% of the county's soil. That reading means a conventional system is a poor bet here - 96.8% of McNairy County lands in the strictest "very limited" bucket USDA uses. The county spans 562.845 square miles, home to 26,103 people.
What this number does and doesn't tell you
This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in McNairy County, TN - never a reading for one specific parcel. Budget $750-$1,850 for a real perc test on any specific parcel - that's the only figure a permit application accepts.
McNairy County: conventional vs. engineered cost
96.8% of McNairy 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.
How McNairy County, TN compares
Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, McNairy County, TN ranks 400 most-constrained nationally, and 3 of 95 within Tennessee.
Related guides
How this rating is built, and its real limits · Conventional vs. engineered septic systems