Patrick County's SSURGO septic rating
Very limited
Patrick County, VA's SSURGO dominant class comes back "Very limited", covering 85.8% of the county. Practically, that rules out a simple gravity system for most of the county - 85.8% of it sits in USDA's most-constrained bucket. The county spans 482.957 square miles, home to 17,308 people.
What this number does and doesn't tell you
USDA's survey covers the whole of Patrick County, VA 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.
Patrick County: conventional vs. engineered cost
85.8% of Patrick 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.
Patrick County's rank among Virginia counties
Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Patrick County, VA ranks 1,636 most-constrained nationally, and 29 of 110 within Virginia.
Related guides
How this rating is built, and its real limits · Conventional vs. engineered septic systems