Can you live off-grid in Jeff Davis County, Georgia?
89
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, but water will be the challenge. Wells run deep, near 630 feet, so budget $21,000 to $46,000 for one. The growing season runs about 250 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. The ground is mostly flat and drains well, which keeps building simple.
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 47 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Very deep wells. The well may be your biggest single cost.
The typical well here is about 630 feet deep; a well typically runs $21,000 to $46,000
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 250 frost-free days, USDA zone 8b; last frost about March 14, first about November 20
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 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 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: one hurricane-strength storm 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 2%, about 240 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Loamy 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 0.6 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Georgia 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 Jeff Davis County, so call the county planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
Building code
Georgia's residential code (the International Residential Code with state amendments) applies to every new house statewide, but each county or city decides whether to enforce it with permits and inspections.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Owners of land along a creek or lake can make reasonable use of its water.
Drilled to about 630 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 $7,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$48,000 to $100,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Well cost
Get a driller's quote.
Wells here run near 630 feet, so the well is a large cost.
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
Call the county planning office with the parcel number.
There is no public zoning map, so we cannot tell whether the land is zoned.
Nearby counties
14,906 people live in Jeff Davis County, about 45 per square mile. It ranks tied for 129th of the 158 Georgia counties we scored, and Georgia ranks 4th of 50 states.