Possible, but water will be hard. Only about 13 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well or hauled water. The growing season is only about 96 frost-free days, so plan on cold-hardy crops and a greenhouse.
What the land says
Rain
Desert rain. Plan on a well or hauled water, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 13 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 60 feet to 840 feet
Growing season
Very short. A greenhouse makes the difference.
About 96 frost-free days, USDA zone 5b; last frost about June 16, first about September 17
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 are rare here. Still, look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
FEMA maps no flood zones nearby
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; no strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado within 25 miles since 1990
Terrain
Rolling ground. Look for a flat house site.
Slopes average about 11%, about 5,190 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 45 inches down. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, well drained (USDA soil survey). A mound, sand filter, or treatment unit typically runs $10,000 to $20,000
Road
Paved roads are close by.
Nearest paved road usually within about 0.5 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check an Idaho 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 Blaine County, so call the county planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
Building code
Idaho's residential code (the 2018 International Residential Code with state changes) is enforced only by cities and counties that choose to run a building permit program; where a county has none, there is no county building permit for a house.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
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.
Depends on depth, which varies here. Get a driller's quote.
Septic
$10,000 to $20,000
Mound, sand filter, or treatment unit
Solar and batteries
$18,000 to $34,000
Sized for a modest household
Road or driveway
$3,000 to $9,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $5,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$33,000 to $67,000
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 60 feet to 840 feet.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Rock or a hard layer sits about 45 inches down, which can rule out a standard system.
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
25,041 people live in Blaine County, about 9.5 per square mile. It ranks tied for 33rd of the 44 Idaho counties we scored, and Idaho ranks 40th of 50 states.