Can you live off-grid in Trinity County, California?
70
of 100
Significant challenges
Possible, but wildfire will be hard. The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high across the county, so plan cleared ground around the house. Water is easy here, with about 41 inches of rain a year and wells near 30 feet. The ground is steep, with slopes averaging about 37%. 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 41 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 30 feet deep; a well typically runs $13,000 to $29,000
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 138 frost-free days, USDA zone 8a; last frost about May 20, first about September 30
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.5 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 across the county. Plan cleared ground around the house and fire-resistant materials.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: High 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: high
Terrain
Steep. A flat house site and a driveway route will drive the cost.
Slopes average about 37%, about 2,520 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because the ground is steep. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, well 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 0.9 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
We found no public zoning map for Trinity 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.
Drilled to about 30 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$10,000 to $20,000
Mound, sand filter, or treatment unit
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
$46,000 to $96,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Steep ground can rule out a standard system.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high across 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.
Nearby counties
15,670 people live in Trinity County, about 4.9 per square mile. It ranks tied for 33rd of the 58 California counties we scored, and California ranks 45th of 50 states.