York County, SC: the USDA septic-suitability picture

Very limited

USDA puts York County, SC at "Very limited" for septic absorption fields, the dominant reading across 55.5% of the county's soil. Expect the ground itself to work against a plain gravity system; USDA's strictest bucket alone covers 55.5% of the county. The county spans 680.607 square miles, home to 303,001 people.

What this number does and doesn't tell you

This is a countywide, area-weighted figure across every soil survey map unit in York County, SC - 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.

York County: conventional vs. engineered cost

55.5% of York 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, York County, SC ranks 2,815 most-constrained nationally, and 34 of 46 within South Carolina.

Further reading

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