Can you live off-grid in Maricopa County, Arizona?
50
of 100
Major concerns
Possible, but hard and costly. Only about 8 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well or hauled water. The growing season runs about 307 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. The sun is strong, about 6.6 hours of full sun a day, so a smaller solar array covers a household.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 8 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 240 feet to 1,100 feet
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 307 frost-free days, USDA zone 9b; last frost about February 9, first about December 8
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.6 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 in places; some land is in the 500-year floodplain
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 1%, about 1,240 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 0.9 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
Maricopa 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
$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
$25,000 to $55,000
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 240 feet to 1,100 feet.
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.
Zoning
Look up the parcel's zoning district with our free tool.
The county publishes its zoning map.
Nearby counties
4,585,871 people live in Maricopa County, about 498.4 per square mile. It ranks 15th of the 15 Arizona counties we scored, and Arizona ranks 48th of 50 states.