Can you live off-grid in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana?
96
of 100
Strong
Yes, with one thing to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 61 inches of rain a year and wells near 150 feet. The growing season runs about 277 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden. NOAA counts about three strong tornadoes a decade within 25 miles, so a storm shelter belongs in the plan.
What the land says
Rain
Rain can supply much of a household's water with a large tank. A garden mostly waters itself in normal years.
About 61 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 150 feet deep; a well typically runs $6,000 to $14,000
Growing season
Long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
About 277 frost-free days, USDA zone 9a; last frost about February 24, first about November 29
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.2 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 to Low here
Storms
Strong tornadoes are common. A storm shelter belongs in the plan.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 3 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 1%, about 40 feet above sea level
Soil
Heavy clay. Expect a larger septic field, and work compost into garden beds. The county's soil test decides.
Clay, 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 1.3 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Louisiana 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 Avoyelles Parish, so call the parish planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
Building code
Louisiana's Uniform Construction Code, which includes the International Residential Code for homes, is mandatory statewide, and every parish and city must enforce it with permits and inspections, including in unincorporated areas.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
Owners of land along a creek or lake can make reasonable use of its water.
Drilled to about 150 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 $3,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$33,000 to $68,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
Clay drains slowly and can fail the test.
Zoning
Call the parish 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
38,408 people live in Avoyelles Parish, about 46.2 per square mile. It ranks tied for 3rd of the 64 Louisiana counties we scored, and Louisiana ranks 24th of 50 states.