Free US soil map

What soil is under your home?

Type any US address to see USDA's soil survey data for that spot: soil type, drainage, pH, water and the layers underneath.

US addresses only: street address, city and state, or ZIP.

Data: USDA NRCS soil survey (SSURGO) · Free · No signup

Example result

Clarion loam

Story County, Iowa · 85% of this map unit

This soil area covers about 6.7 acres (2.7 ha).

Search your own address above.

A well-drained loam, with a pH in the range most vegetables prefer.

Texture: loam
Drainage: Well drained
pH: 6.2 · slightly acid
Water: 10.9 in

See it on the texture triangle

Soil pH
pH 6.2 (slightly acid) is in the 6–7 range vegetables do best in. Blueberries, azaleas and rhododendrons want 4.5–5.5, so they would need acidified soil. This is the typical value for the mapped soil; a soil test shows yours.
Source
Soil texture
Loam holds enough water for plants but drains well enough for roots to breathe.
What to add to this soil Source
Water the soil holds
The soil holds about 10.9 in of water plants can use in the top 59 in (USDA's 'High' class). It carries plants longer between rains.
Source
How fast water soaks in
Water moves through the topsoil at a moderate rate (USDA class: Moderately high).
Source
Lawns and landscaping
USDA rates this soil Somewhat limited for lawns, landscaping and golf fairways. The main limitation is Dusty (0.02). Scores near 0 mean the limitation is minor.
Source

Houses with basements
USDA rates this soil Somewhat limited for houses with basements. The main limitation is Depth to saturated zone (0.178).
Source
Houses without basements
USDA rates this soil Not limited for houses without basements.
Source
Foundation movement
This soil has Low shrink-swell (linear extensibility under 3%), below the class where USDA warns that shrinking and swelling can damage buildings and roads.
Source
Septic drain fields
USDA rates this soil Somewhat limited for septic drain fields. The main limitation is Depth to saturated zone (0.497). Some states publish their own septic ratings using state rules; local approval follows the state's rules.
Open the septic suitability checker →Source
Water table and flooding
The seasonal high water table is about 59 in (150 cm) down. USDA expects flooding here none. This is a soil-survey estimate, not a FEMA flood zone.
Source
Rainwater runoff
Moderately low runoff when soaked; water soaks in without restriction.
Source

Farmland class
USDA's farmland classification here is "All areas are prime farmland". Prime farmland is USDA's best land for growing crops.
Source
Land capability class
This is land capability class 2. Some limitations that reduce the choice of plants or require moderate conservation practices.
Source

Soil order
Mollisols are the deep, dark, fertile grassland soils of the prairies, rich in organic matter.
About Mollisols →Source
USDA series description
USDA's general description of the Clarion series: The Clarion series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils on uplands. These soils formed in glacial till. Slopes range from 1 to 9 percent. This describes the series in general; the values above are for the soil mapped at your point.
Source

Show the layers

Ap0–9 in (0–23 cm)loam

A9–14 in (23–35 cm)loam

Bw14–33 in (35–84 cm)loam

C33–79 in (84–200 cm)loam

Typical layers USDA records for this soil. Your site can differ, especially where soil was moved, filled or built on.

What the layer codes mean

A: topsoil: mineral soil darkened by organic matter
B: subsoil where clay, iron or other materials build up, or where color and structure develop
C: little-altered parent material below the subsoil
p: plowed or otherwise disturbed
w: color or structure has developed

Layer notation: USDA NRCS Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils

What these layers mean

All values & sources

Sand45% (36–55)

Silt34% (26–42)

Clay21% (18–24)

Organic matter3.5% (2–6)

Available water capacity0.21 cm/cm (0.15–0.22)

Profile water storage10.9 in to 59 in (150 cm)

Field capacity (⅓ bar)28.6% (22.2–32.3)

Wilting point (15 bar)14.5% (9.6–19.3)

Bulk density1.3 g/cm³ (1.2–1.4)

Ksat9.17 µm/s (1.41–14.11)

Ksat classModerately high

pH (1:1 H₂O)6.2 (5.6–7.3)

Drainage classWell drained

Hydrologic groupB

Seasonal high water table59 in (150 cm)

Depth to bedrockNot reported by USDA

Other components in this map unit

Storden10%
Nicollet5%

Source: USDA SSURGO · Story County, Iowa (IA169) · map unit 2765537 · survey data as of 9/8/2026 · How we get this data · What’s a soil survey?

USSoilMap is a free soil map by address: type any US address to see the USDA soil survey data for the soil mapped at that point. It returns the soil type, texture, drainage, pH, plant-available water and the layers underneath. Every value shows its USDA source and survey date, and non-soil spots like Urban land are labeled rather than guessed.

What you’ll get for any US address

A plain-language verdict
A one-line summary of the soil at your spot, in everyday words.
Garden & lawn
What the pH, texture, water-holding and drainage mean for vegetables, lawns and landscaping.
Home & building
USDA ratings for houses, basements and septic, plus foundation shrink-swell, water table and runoff.
Farming
USDA farmland class and land capability class.
About this soil
The soil order and USDA's own description of the series.
The layers & every value
Every soil layer with depths and textures, and all the USDA numbers, each with a link to its source.

Every value shows its USDA source and survey date. See the 12 USDA soil types and how much of the US each covers.

Go deeper:Septic Suitability Checker Building Site Checker Expansive Soil Checker Water Table Depth Prime Farmland Checker

How it works

1
Enter an address, city or ZIP, or click the map.
2
We read USDA's soil survey for that exact spot.
3
See your soil type, what it means, and the layers underneath.

The USDA soil survey behind the map

A soil survey is the systematic description, classification and mapping of the soils in an area. In the US the surveys are published by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), formerly the Soil Conservation Service, as the US Geological Survey’s own FAQ says. USGS does keep a low-density geochemical soil map of the lower 48 states, which is a different product^[1]. More in what a soil survey is.

The detailed survey, SSURGO, was mapped at scales from 1:12,000 to 1:63,360 for planning by landowners, townships and counties, and each map unit holds one to three major soils plus some minor ones^[2]. That is why a lookup returns the soil mapped at your point, the map unit’s typical soil, rather than a test of one lot. The data comes bundled by soil survey area, a county or a few counties: view or download an area in Web Soil Survey as shapefiles plus tables for Access^[2], or request several areas at once through the Geospatial Data Gateway^[3].

Soil map units from above: your pin falls in one unit, named for its main soil, which can hold small patches of other soils.

GIS users who download a survey area can join its maps and tables with NRCS’s Soil Data Viewer, an add-in for ArcMap (ArcGIS 10) that draws thematic soil maps^[4][3]. USSoilMap reads the same survey for one point at a time, with no GIS software.

The layers under your home

A result lists each layer USDA recorded for the mapped soil, from the surface down, with its depth, texture and properties^[2]. NRCS writes its standards for observing and recording soil layers in the Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils^[5]. What the layer letters mean is in our guide to soil horizons.

Under a house: topsoil, subsoil and a lower layer above bedrock, with a seasonal water table, the layers a result describes.

Soil tools

Free checkers and calculators that answer one soil question each.

Expansive Soil Checker

See how much the soil at an address shrinks and swells, and whether USDA says it can damage buildings.

Water Table Depth

Find how close to the surface the seasonal water table comes at an address.

Prime Farmland Checker

Check USDA's farmland classification for the soil at any US address.

Septic Suitability Checker

See USDA's rating for a septic drain field at any US address.

Building Site Checker

See USDA's soil ratings for houses with and without basements at an address.

Soil Texture Triangle Calculator

Enter sand, silt and clay to name your USDA texture class on the triangle.

Soil Jar Test Calculator

Settle your soil in a jar, measure the layers, and get your USDA texture class.

Soil Ribbon Test

Answer a few questions about how your soil feels to estimate its texture class.

Topsoil Calculator

Enter area and depth for topsoil in cubic yards, bags and estimated weight.

Raised Bed Soil Calculator

Enter bed size and depth for the soil you need, split into your own mix.

Compost Calculator

Area and depth to cubic yards and bags, using university application rates.

Soil Bulk Density Calculator

Work out soil bulk density from a ring sample, and whether it restricts roots.

Soil Porosity Calculator

Turn bulk density into pore space, and see how it compares with the ideal.

Soil Moisture Content Calculator

Find soil moisture from wet and dry weights, gravimetric and volumetric.

Soil Infiltration Rate Calculator

Time how fast an inch of water soaks in, for a rate in inches per hour.

Soil Water Holding Capacity Calculator

How much plant-available water your root zone holds, in inches and gallons.

See all soil tools. Not sure of your texture? The soil texture by feel flow chart needs only your hands.

Soil maps by theme

National maps built from the same survey, each with its method and a download.

Prime farmland mapWhere USDA rates farmland prime, by state.
Soil quality mapLand capability classes I to VIII across the US.
Soil pH mapAcid and alkaline topsoils, state by state.
Soil drainage mapFrom excessively to very poorly drained.
Soil ordersThe orders of US soil taxonomy and where each is found.
All soil mapsEvery map on the site in one place.

Where the data comes from

Soil data comes from USDA-NRCS SSURGO through the Soil Data Access service^[2], and city and ZIP centers come from the US Census Bureau. Developed and unmapped land is labeled as such, never guessed. Read the methodology for details.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is the soil type for my address?

It is the main soil USDA mapped for the area around your point, from surveys drawn at scales from 1:12,000 to 1:63,360, and map units can hold small patches of other soils^[2]. Developed sites are often disturbed too, so treat it as the typical soil of your area, not a test of your exact yard.

Is this the USGS soil survey?

No. US soil surveys are published by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, as the US Geological Survey’s own FAQ says^[1].

Why does my city or ZIP code show "near the center"?

City and ZIP searches use one Census reference point inside that area, which can be far from your home. Type a street address or click your exact spot on the map for a point-level result.

What does "Urban land" mean?

USDA maps some areas as non-soil units such as Urban land, where buildings and pavement cover the ground and no natural soil profile is recorded^[2]. If USDA lists a real soil inside that unit, we show it as an associated soil.

What do the numbers in brackets mean?

For most soil properties USDA records a typical value plus a low and a high value. We show the typical value first and the range in brackets, exactly as USDA publishes them^[2].

Where does the data come from, and how current is it?

Soil data comes from USDA’s SSURGO database through its Soil Data Access service, and addresses are located with the US Census Bureau Geocoder. USDA refreshes the official soil survey database once a year, with some updates in between^[3], and each result shows its survey area and when that survey’s data was last updated.

Can I use this instead of a soil test?

No. It shows typical properties for a mapped area, so for fertilizer or lime decisions a lab test of your own soil is the reliable source.

Does this work outside the US?

No. USDA soil surveys cover the United States and its territories, so points elsewhere show as outside coverage.

Full methodology and sources

Sources

Marko Visic · MPharm, BSc Physics · Last reviewed November 13, 2026