Possible, but hard and costly. Only about 10 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 300 feet here) or hauled water. The growing season is only about 114 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 10 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 300 feet deep; a well typically runs $14,000 to $31,000
Growing season
Very short. A greenhouse makes the difference.
About 114 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about June 4, first about September 25
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
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low 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 2%, about 4,470 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 42 inches down. The county's soil test decides.
Silt 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 0.4 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 Lincoln 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.
Drilled to about 300 feet, with pump and pressure tank
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
$47,000 to $99,000
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 42 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.
Road access
Confirm the parcel fronts a public road or has a recorded easement.
Without one, you may not have a legal way in.
Nearby counties
5,450 people live in Lincoln County, about 4.5 per square mile. It ranks tied for 36th of the 44 Idaho counties we scored, and Idaho ranks 40th of 50 states.