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 257 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. The U.S. Geological Survey maps strong earthquake shaking here, so build to the seismic code.
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 150 feet to 980 feet
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 257 frost-free days, USDA zone 9a; last frost about February 27, first about November 30
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.2 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
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 Very 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
Earthquakes
Strong shaking is possible. Build to the seismic code and brace the water tank.
USGS seismic hazard map: very high
Terrain
Rolling ground. Look for a flat house site.
Slopes average about 13%, about 1,920 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 0.8 miles away (OpenStreetMap)
Check a California 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
We found no public zoning map for Kern County, so call the county planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
Building code
The California Building Standards Code (Title 24) applies statewide and every city and county must enforce it, so a new house needs a permit however remote. A county may adopt the state's optional rules for owner-built rural homes, which relax some standards but still require a permit.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed with a permit and an approved unit.
Water rights
A mix of two systems. Ask the state water office before you drill a well or dam a creek.
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 $32,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$4,000 to $10,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $5,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$27,000 to $57,000
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 150 feet to 980 feet.
Road access
Confirm a recorded easement to the parcel.
The nearest roads are often dirt tracks.
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.
Nearby counties
913,820 people live in Kern County, about 112.3 per square mile. It ranks tied for 56th of the 58 California counties we scored, and California ranks 45th of 50 states.