Yes, with one thing to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 52 inches of rain a year and wells near 140 feet. The growing season runs about 240 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. Septic will likely cost more, because rock or a hard layer sits about 30 inches down.
What the land says
Rain
Rain can supply much of a household's water with a large tank. A garden mostly waters itself in normal years.
About 52 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 140 feet deep; a well typically runs $6,000 to $13,000
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 240 frost-free days, USDA zone 8a; last frost about March 21, first about November 17
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.2 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 here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 1 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado a decade within 25 miles
Earthquakes
Strong shaking is possible. Build to the seismic code and brace the water tank.
USGS seismic hazard map: high
Terrain
Flat, but the ground stays wet. Build on the higher, drier spot.
Slopes average about 0%, about 190 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 30 inches down. The county's soil test decides.
Silt loam, poorly drained (USDA soil survey). A mound, sand filter, or treatment unit typically runs $10,000 to $20,000
Road
Paved roads are close by.
Nearest paved road usually within about 1.2 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check an Arkansas 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
Rural land here is often unzoned. Confirm with the county before you build.
Building code
Arkansas has a statewide residential code (Volume III of the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, based on the 2021 International Residential Code), but permits and inspections come only where a city or county has set up a building department.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Owners of land along a creek or lake can make reasonable use of its water.
Drilled to about 140 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
$2,000 to $7,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $3,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$37,000 to $77,000
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 30 inches down, which can rule out a standard system.
Zoning
Confirm with the county whether the parcel is zoned.
Rural land in Arkansas is often unzoned.
Road access
Confirm the parcel fronts a public road or has a recorded easement.
Without one, you may not have a legal way in.
Nearby counties
8,201 people live in Lee County, about 13.7 per square mile. It ranks tied for 58th of the 75 Arkansas counties we scored, and Arkansas ranks 14th of 50 states.