Smith County, TX: the USDA septic-suitability picture

Very limited

Smith County, TX's SSURGO dominant class comes back "Very limited", covering 70.7% of the county. This is the reading that pushes a project toward an engineered system rather than a conventional one, and it covers 70.7% of Smith County's land. The county spans 921.495 square miles, home to 249,091 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

Nothing about Smith County, TX's SSURGO figure applies to a specific address - it's a county-wide average. Budget $750-$1,850 for a real perc test on any specific parcel - that's the only figure a permit application accepts.

Smith County: conventional vs. engineered cost

70.7% of Smith 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.

Smith County's rank among Texas counties

Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, Smith County, TX ranks 2,440 most-constrained nationally, and 196 of 253 within Texas.

Related guides

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