Possible, but water will be hard. Only about 13 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 300 feet here) or hauled water. The sun is strong, about 6.7 hours of full sun a day, so a smaller solar array covers a household. The growing season runs about 211 frost-free days.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 13 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 300 feet deep; a well typically runs $12,000 to $27,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 211 frost-free days, USDA zone 8b; last frost about April 10, first about November 10
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.7 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 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 2%, about 4,390 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
Paved roads are close by.
Nearest paved road usually within about 0.4 miles (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
Cochise 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.
Drilled to about 300 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
Solar and batteries
$17,000 to $34,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$3,000 to $8,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$38,000 to $82,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in places.
Zoning
Look up the parcel's zoning district with our free tool.
The county publishes its zoning map.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The county has to approve the ground before it issues a septic permit.
Nearby counties
124,640 people live in Cochise County, about 20.1 per square mile. It ranks 1st of the 15 Arizona counties we scored, and Arizona ranks 48th of 50 states.