Rain helps, but plan on a well for most of your water and on watering the garden in dry months.
About 39 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 290 feet deep; a well typically runs $13,000 to $28,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 184 frost-free days, USDA zone 6a; last frost about April 18, first about October 20
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
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 1.0 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 6%, about 690 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Silt loam, 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 0.5 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check an Illinois 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
Adams County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
Illinois does not require counties or cities to adopt a building code, and where a county has none there is no county building permit for a house. Since January 1, 2025, any local code that is adopted must be at least as strong as the International Residential Code on structural design.
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.
Drilled to about 290 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 $8,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$40,000 to $84,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Zoning
Look up the parcel's zoning district with our free tool.
The county publishes its zoning map.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The county has to approve the ground before it issues a septic permit.
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
64,441 people live in Adams County, about 75.4 per square mile. It ranks tied for 24th of the 102 Illinois counties we scored, and Illinois ranks 11th of 50 states.