Can you live off-grid in Madison County, Arkansas?
94
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with two things to plan around. The growing season runs about 209 frost-free days. Typical well depths here range from 80 feet to 490 feet, so get a local driller's quote. The ground is steep, with slopes averaging about 19%. That raises the cost of a driveway, septic, and foundation.
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 49 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 80 feet to 490 feet
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 209 frost-free days, USDA zone 7b; last frost about April 4, first about November 6
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.1 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 to Low here
Storms
Strong tornadoes pass through now and then. A safe room is worth pricing.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 2 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Steep in places. Driveways, septic, and foundations cost more.
Slopes average about 19%, about 1,500 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 0.5 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
Madison County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
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.
Depends on depth, which varies here. Get a driller's quote.
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
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
$27,000 to $54,000
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 80 feet to 490 feet.
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
17,775 people live in Madison County, about 21.3 per square mile. It ranks tied for 9th of the 75 Arkansas counties we scored, and Arkansas ranks 14th of 50 states.