Yes, with one thing to plan around. Wells are shallow here, near 60 feet, which keeps drilling costs down. The ground is mostly flat and drains well, which keeps building simple. The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high across much of the county, so plan cleared ground around the house.
What the land says
Rain
Rain helps, but plan on a well for most of your water and on watering the garden in dry months.
About 36 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 60 feet deep; a well typically runs $4,000 to $9,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 192 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about April 12, first about October 22
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.3 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 parts of the county
Wildfire
Wildfire risk is high across much of the county. Plan cleared ground around the house and fire-resistant materials.
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; about 1 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 2%, about 1,470 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Silty clay loam, moderately 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 a Kansas 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
Butler County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
No mandatory statewide residential code. Counties adopt their own or none.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
A mix of two systems. Ask the state water office before you drill a well or dam a creek.
Drilled to about 60 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
$31,000 to $63,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high across much of the county.
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
Look up the parcel's zoning district with our free tool.
The county publishes its zoning map.
Nearby counties
68,632 people live in Butler County, about 48 per square mile. It ranks tied for 40th of the 105 Kansas counties we scored, and Kansas ranks 27th of 50 states.