Can you live off-grid in Madera County, California?
80
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, but water will be the challenge. Only about 12 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 200 feet here) or hauled water. The growing season runs about 263 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in parts of the county, so plan cleared ground around the house.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 12 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 200 feet deep; a well typically runs $11,000 to $25,000
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 263 frost-free days, USDA zone 9b; last frost about March 7, first about November 27
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 6.0 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 within a quarter mile in places
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 2%, about 310 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 0.8 miles (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
Madera County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
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.
Drilled to about 200 feet, with pump and pressure tank
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
$38,000 to $81,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
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.
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
162,858 people live in Madera County, about 76.2 per square mile. It ranks 2nd of the 58 California counties we scored, and California ranks 45th of 50 states.