Can you live off-grid in Vernon Parish, Louisiana?
95
of 100
Strong
Yes. We found no major drawback on the land. Water is easy here, with about 60 inches of rain a year and wells near 150 feet. The growing season runs about 269 frost-free days, long enough for a spring and a fall garden.
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 60 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 269 frost-free days, USDA zone 9a; last frost about February 28, first about November 25
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.1 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 in places. Check the risk for the parcel you want.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to High here
Storms
Strong tornadoes pass through now and then. A safe room is worth pricing.
NOAA: one hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 2 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 3%, about 230 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
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 0.3 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 Vernon 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
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
Call the parish 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
46,250 people live in Vernon Parish, about 34.9 per square mile. It ranks tied for 7th of the 64 Louisiana counties we scored, and Louisiana ranks 24th of 50 states.