Can you live off-grid in Santa Cruz County, Arizona?
74
of 100
Significant challenges
Possible, but water will be hard. Only about 17 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 90 feet here) or hauled water. The sun is strong, about 6.6 hours of full sun a day, so a smaller solar array covers a household. Flood zones are common here, so look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer.
What the land says
Rain
Too dry to live on rain. Plan on a well, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 17 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Shallow wells, so drilling should be one of the cheaper costs.
The typical well here is about 90 feet deep; a well typically runs $5,000 to $12,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 223 frost-free days, USDA zone 8b; last frost about April 4, first about November 16
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 are common here. Look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer.
FEMA maps flood zones across much of the county
Wildfire
Wildfire risk is high in parts of the county. 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 4%, about 4,360 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 0.4 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
Santa Cruz 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 90 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
$30,000 to $67,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Flood map
Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
Flood zones are common here. Building in one means flood insurance and extra permits.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in parts of the county.
Road access
Confirm a recorded easement to the parcel.
The nearest roads are often dirt tracks.
Nearby counties
49,158 people live in Santa Cruz County, about 39.8 per square mile. It ranks tied for 2nd of the 15 Arizona counties we scored, and Arizona ranks 48th of 50 states.