Wise County's SSURGO septic rating
Very limited
Wise County, VA: USDA's soil survey calls 89.7% of the county "Very limited" for a septic leach field. Expect the ground itself to work against a plain gravity system; USDA's strictest bucket alone covers 89.7% of the county. The county spans 403.443 square miles, home to 34,973 people.
What this number does and doesn't tell you
USDA's survey covers the whole of Wise 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.
Wise County: conventional vs. engineered cost
89.7% of Wise 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, Wise County, VA ranks 1,302 most-constrained nationally, and 17 of 110 within Virginia.
Related guides
How this rating is built, and its real limits · Conventional vs. engineered septic systems