Can you live off-grid in Highlands County, Florida?
73
of 100
Significant challenges
Possible, but hurricanes will be hard. NOAA counts six hurricane-strength storms within 50 miles since 1975, so build to the wind code and plan for long outages. The growing season runs about 344 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. Typical well depths here range from 50 feet to 1,230 feet, so get a local driller's quote.
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 51 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Well depth varies a lot here. Get a local driller's quote before you offer.
Typical well depths here range from 50 feet to 1,230 feet
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 344 frost-free days, USDA zone 10a; last frost about January 27, first about December 20
Sun
Strong sun. A modest solar array covers a household.
About 5.6 hours of full sun a day, averaged over the year
Flood
Flood zones are common here. Look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer.
FEMA maps flood zones across much of the county
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 Very High here
Storms
Expect about four hurricanes within 50 miles over 30 years. Build to the wind code and keep a week of fuel and water.
NOAA: six hurricane-strength storms within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.3 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 80 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
Dirt tracks. Plan to build or maintain your own road.
Nearest road often a dirt track, about 0.4 miles away (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
We found no public zoning map for Highlands County, so call the county planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
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.
Depends on depth, which varies here. Get a driller's quote.
Septic
$15,000 to $25,000
Engineered system
Solar and batteries
$17,000 to $36,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$7,000 to $17,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $3,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$39,000 to $82,000
Before the house, plus the well
Before you make an offer on land here
Well depth
Get a local driller's depth estimate.
Typical well depths here range from 50 feet to 1,230 feet.
Flood map
Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
Flood zones are common here. Building in one means flood insurance and extra permits.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The soil stays wet, which can rule out a standard system.
Nearby counties
107,614 people live in Highlands County, about 105.7 per square mile. It ranks tied for 52nd of the 67 Florida counties we scored, and Florida ranks 33rd of 50 states.