Possible, but water will be hard. Only about 9 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well or hauled water. The sun is strong, about 6.4 hours of full sun a day, so a smaller solar array covers a household. The nearest roads are often dirt tracks, so plan to build or maintain your own access.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 9 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Well depth varies a lot here. Get a local driller's quote before you offer.
Typical well depths here range from 90 feet to 750 feet
Growing season
Enough for most vegetables. Start tomatoes and peppers indoors.
About 153 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about May 7, first about October 12
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.4 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
Wildfire risk is high in places. Check the risk for the parcel you want.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Very High 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 to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 4%, about 6,220 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, well drained (USDA soil survey). A standard system typically runs $5,000 to $10,000
Road
Dirt tracks. Plan to build or maintain your own road.
Nearest road often a dirt track, about 0.8 miles away (OpenStreetMap)
Check an Arizona 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
Apache County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
No statewide residential building code: each county and city decides whether to adopt one, and a county may exempt land zoned rural or unclassified. State law still requires a county building permit for any building or addition costing over $1,000, even where the county has no code.
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.
Depends on depth, which varies here. Get a driller's quote.
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
Solar and batteries
$17,000 to $34,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$8,000 to $20,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$30,000 to $67,000
Before the house, plus the well
Before you make an offer on land here
Well depth
Get a local driller's depth estimate.
Typical well depths here range from 90 feet to 750 feet.
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 county publishes its zoning map.
Nearby counties
65,036 people live in Apache County, about 5.8 per square mile. It ranks tied for 2nd of the 15 Arizona counties we scored, and Arizona ranks 48th of 50 states.