St. Louis County's SSURGO septic rating
Very limited
USDA puts St. Louis County, MN at "Very limited" for septic absorption fields, the dominant reading across 88.1% of the county's soil. This is the reading that pushes a project toward an engineered system rather than a conventional one, and it covers 88.1% of St. Louis County's land. The county spans 6,248.121 square miles, home to 200,794 people.
What this number does and doesn't tell you
Nothing about St. Louis County, MN'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.
St. Louis County: conventional vs. engineered cost
88.1% of St. Louis 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.
Where this sits nationally
Among the 3,058 rated counties on this site, St. Louis County, MN ranks 1,457 most-constrained nationally, and 56 of 86 within Minnesota.
Related guides
How this rating is built, and its real limits · Conventional vs. engineered septic systems