Can you live off-grid in North Slope Borough, Alaska?
36
of 100
Not recommended
Possible, but hard and costly. Only about 11 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 70 feet here) or hauled water. The growing season is about 53 frost-free days and winter sun is weak, so plan on a greenhouse and a bigger battery bank or a generator.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 11 inches a year (30-year average)
Wells
Shallow wells, so drilling should be one of the cheaper costs.
The typical well here is about 70 feet deep; a well typically runs $24,000 to $53,000
Growing season
Very short. A greenhouse makes the difference.
About 53 frost-free days, USDA zone 1b; last frost about June 24, first about August 17
Sun
Weak sun. Solar needs a generator behind it in winter.
About 2.5 hours of full sun a day, averaged over the year
Flood
Flood zones are rare here. Still, look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
FEMA maps no flood zones nearby
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
Flat, but the ground stays wet. Build on the higher, drier spot.
Slopes average about 3%, about 430 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 27 inches down. The county's soil test decides.
Silt loam, somewhat 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 mile 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
North Slope 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 70 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
$33,000 to $89,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$2,000 to $9,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$88,000 to $205,000
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 27 inches down, which can rule out a standard system.
Road access
Confirm a recorded easement to the parcel.
The nearest roads are often dirt tracks.
Zoning
Look up the parcel's zoning district with our free tool.
The borough publishes its zoning map.
Nearby counties
10,603 people live in North Slope Borough, about 0.1 per square mile. It ranks 29th of the 29 Alaska counties we scored, and Alaska ranks 50th of 50 states.