Pope County, MN: the USDA septic-suitability picture
Very limited
USDA puts Pope County, MN at "Very limited" for septic absorption fields, the dominant reading across 80% of the county's soil. Practically, that rules out a simple gravity system for most of the county - 80% of it sits in USDA's most-constrained bucket. The county spans 674.559 square miles, home to 11,495 people.
What this number does and doesn't tell you
This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in Pope County, MN - 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.
Pope County: conventional vs. engineered cost
80% of Pope 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.
Pope County's rank among Minnesota counties
Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Pope County, MN ranks 2,044 most-constrained nationally, and 74 of 86 within Minnesota.
Related guides
How this rating is built, and its real limits · Conventional vs. engineered septic systems