Possible, but hard and costly. NOAA counts four hurricane-strength storms within 50 miles since 1975, so build to the wind code and plan for long outages. Water is easy here, with about 56 inches of rain a year and wells near 30 feet. Septic will likely cost more, because rock or a hard layer sits about 16 inches down.
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 56 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 $3,000 to $6,000
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 365 frost-free days, USDA zone 10b; last frost about January 1, first about December 31
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
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 across 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 Very High here
Storms
Expect about two hurricanes within 50 miles over 30 years. Build to the wind code and keep a week of fuel and water.
NOAA: four hurricane-strength storms within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.6 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat, but the ground stays wet. Build on the higher, drier spot.
Slopes average about 1%, about 10 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect an engineered septic system. The ground stays wet most of the year. The county's soil test decides.
Sand, very poorly drained (USDA soil survey). An engineered system typically runs $15,000 to $25,000
Road
Paved roads are close by.
Nearest paved road usually within about 0.2 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
Broward 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 30 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$15,000 to $25,000
Engineered 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
$38,000 to $77,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Rock or a hard layer sits about 16 inches down, which can rule out a standard system.
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.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in places.
Nearby counties
1,962,531 people live in Broward County, about 1631.5 per square mile. It ranks 65th of the 67 Florida counties we scored, and Florida ranks 33rd of 50 states.