Yes, with one thing to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 53 inches of rain a year and wells near 110 feet. The growing season runs about 294 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. Flood zones cover parts of the county, so look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer.
What the land says
Rain
Rain can supply much of a household's water with a large tank. The sandy soil dries fast, so plan to water the garden.
About 53 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 110 feet deep; a well typically runs $5,000 to $12,000
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 294 frost-free days, USDA zone 9a; last frost about February 19, first about December 6
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.4 hours of full sun a day, averaged over the year
Flood
Flood zones cover parts of the county. Look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer.
FEMA maps flood zones in parts of the county
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 High here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.3 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 1%, about 80 feet above sea level
Soil
Sandy and fast-draining. Septic may need an extra treatment step, and garden beds need compost to hold water. The county's soil test decides.
Sand, 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 0.9 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Florida 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
Alachua County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
Florida Building Code mandatory statewide, updated on a 3-year cycle. Local amendments cannot reduce standards.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed with a permit and an approved unit.
Water rights
Owners of land along a creek or lake can make reasonable use of its water.
Drilled to about 110 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$5,000 to $10,000
Standard system
Solar and batteries
$17,000 to $36,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$3,000 to $7,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $3,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$30,000 to $68,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Flood map
Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
Flood zones cover parts of the county. Building in one means flood insurance and extra permits.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Sandy ground drains fast, and some counties require an extra treatment step.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in places.
Nearby counties
285,994 people live in Alachua County, about 326.6 per square mile. It ranks tied for 7th of the 67 Florida counties we scored, and Florida ranks 33rd of 50 states.