Can you live off-grid in Jefferson County, Alabama?
81
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with two things to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 58 inches of rain a year and wells near 180 feet. NOAA counts about eight strong tornadoes a decade within 25 miles, so a storm shelter belongs in the plan. The ground is steep, with slopes averaging about 19%. That raises the cost of a driveway, septic, and foundation.
What the land says
Rain
Rain can supply much of a household's water with a large tank. A garden mostly waters itself in normal years.
About 58 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 180 feet deep; a well typically runs $7,000 to $16,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 230 frost-free days, USDA zone 8b; last frost about March 27, first about November 9
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.1 hours of full sun a day, averaged over the year
Flood
Flood zones run along creeks and rivers here. Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
FEMA maps flood zones within a quarter mile in places
Wildfire
Wildfire risk is high in places. Check the risk for the parcel you want.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to High here
Storms
Strong tornadoes are common. A storm shelter belongs in the plan.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 8 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Steep in places. Driveways, septic, and foundations cost more.
Slopes average about 19%, about 590 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 16 inches down. The county's soil test decides.
Silt loam, well drained (USDA soil survey). A mound, sand filter, or treatment unit typically runs $10,000 to $20,000
Road
Paved roads are close by.
Nearest paved road usually within about 0.9 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check an Alabama parcel, or plan the one you own
Get a free 0-100 off-grid score.
A step-by-step build plan, sizing your solar, water, garden, septic, heat, and buildings.
Is it legal here?
Zoning
Jefferson County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
Statewide residential code exists but local counties decide enforcement; many unincorporated areas have no code enforcement.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Owners of land along a creek or lake can make reasonable use of its water.
Drilled to about 180 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$10,000 to $20,000
Mound, sand filter, or treatment unit
Solar and batteries
$18,000 to $34,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$3,000 to $7,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $3,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$39,000 to $80,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Rock or a hard layer sits about 16 inches down, which can rule out a standard system.
Flood map
Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
Flood zones run along creeks and rivers here. Building in one means flood insurance and extra permits.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in places.
Nearby counties
662,895 people live in Jefferson County, about 596.4 per square mile. It ranks 67th of the 67 Alabama counties we scored, and Alabama ranks 3rd of 50 states.