Can you live off-grid in Arapahoe County, Colorado?
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Significant challenges
Possible, but water will be hard. Only about 17 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 220 feet here) or hauled water. The sun is strong, about 5.9 hours of full sun a day, so a smaller solar array covers a household. The growing season is only about 144 frost-free days, so plan on cold-hardy crops and a greenhouse.
What the land says
Rain
Too dry to live on rain. Plan on a well, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 17 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 220 feet deep; a well typically runs $9,000 to $21,000
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 144 frost-free days, USDA zone 5b; last frost about May 11, first about October 3
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 5.9 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
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Moderate 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
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 3%, about 5,410 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 0.3 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Colorado 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
Arapahoe County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
No statewide residential building code: each county decides whether to adopt one, and some rural counties, such as Saguache, have none. State electrical and plumbing permits and inspections still apply wherever the county does not issue its own.
Rainwater
Allowed with limits. Check the state's rules before you size a tank.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Water belongs to whoever claimed it first. A new well or pond may need a state permit, and a creek may already be claimed.
Drilled to about 220 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
Solar and batteries
$18,000 to $34,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$3,000 to $8,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$36,000 to $76,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
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.
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
656,061 people live in Arapahoe County, about 822.3 per square mile. It ranks tied for 5th of the 64 Colorado counties we scored, and Colorado ranks 37th of 50 states.