Can you live off-grid in Juneau City and Borough, Alaska?
55
of 100
Major concerns
Possible, but hard and costly. The growing season is about 45 frost-free days and winter sun is weak, so plan on a greenhouse and a bigger battery bank or a generator. Water is easy here, with about 136 inches of rain a year and wells near 100 feet. The ground is steep, with slopes averaging about 75%. 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 136 inches a year (30-year average)
Wells
Shallow wells, so drilling should be one of the cheaper costs.
The typical well here is about 100 feet deep; a well typically runs $12,000 to $27,000
Growing season
Very short. A greenhouse makes the difference.
About 45 frost-free days, USDA zone 4b; last frost about July 7, first about August 22
Sun
Weak sun. Solar needs a generator behind it in winter.
About 2.4 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 parts of the county
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Low here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; no strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado within 25 miles since 1990
Terrain
Steep. A flat house site and a driveway route will drive the cost.
Slopes average about 75%, about 680 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because the soil stays wet for long stretches. The county's soil test decides.
Silt loam, poorly drained (USDA soil survey). A mound, sand filter, or treatment unit typically runs $10,000 to $20,000
Road
Dirt tracks. Plan to build or maintain your own road.
Nearest road often a dirt track, about 1.3 miles away (OpenStreetMap)
Check an Alaska 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
Juneau City and Borough zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
Alaska has no statewide building code for one- to three-family homes, so a house needs a building permit only where a city or borough, such as Anchorage, has adopted its own code. Homes financed by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation must still meet state construction standards and pass inspections.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Water belongs to whoever claimed it first. A new well or pond may need a state permit, and a creek may already be claimed.
Drilled to about 100 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
$7,000 to $18,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$2,000 to $9,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$49,000 to $108,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The soil stays wet, which can rule out a standard system.
Road access
Confirm a recorded easement to the parcel.
The nearest roads are often dirt tracks.
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.
Nearby counties
31,555 people live in Juneau City and Borough, about 11.7 per square mile. It ranks tied for 9th of the 29 Alaska counties we scored, and Alaska ranks 50th of 50 states.