Can you live off-grid in Washington County, Idaho?
77
of 100
Significant challenges
Possible, but the short season will be hard. The growing season is only about 147 frost-free days, so plan on cold-hardy crops and a greenhouse. Wells are shallow here, near 80 feet, which keeps drilling costs down. Septic will likely cost more, because rock or a hard layer sits about 30 inches down.
What the land says
Rain
Too dry to live on rain. Plan on a well, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 21 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 80 feet deep; a well typically runs $6,000 to $13,000
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 147 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about May 8, first about October 4
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 4.9 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 13%, about 3,180 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because rock or a hard layer sits about 30 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 0.9 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 Washington 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 80 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
$38,000 to $80,000
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 30 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.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in places.
Nearby counties
11,425 people live in Washington County, about 7.9 per square mile. It ranks tied for 7th of the 44 Idaho counties we scored, and Idaho ranks 40th of 50 states.