Can you live off-grid in Wicomico County, Maryland?
86
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with one thing to plan around. Water is easy here, with about 47 inches of rain a year and wells near 70 feet. The growing season runs about 220 frost-free days. Septic will likely cost more, because the soil stays wet for long stretches.
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 47 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 70 feet deep; a well typically runs $4,000 to $10,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 220 frost-free days, USDA zone 8a; last frost about April 2, first about November 9
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 run along creeks and rivers here. Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
FEMA maps flood zones in places
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very Low to Low here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: one hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 1 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat, but the ground stays wet. Build on the higher, drier spot.
Slopes average about 1%, about 40 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect a costlier septic system, because the soil stays wet for long stretches. The county's soil test decides.
Loam, poorly 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 a Maryland 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 Wicomico County, so call the county planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
Building code
Maryland has a statewide building code, the Maryland Building Performance Standards (based on the 2021 International Residential Code for homes), and every county, or in some places the city or town, must enforce it with building permits, inspections, and an occupancy certificate.
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 70 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$10,000 to $20,000
Mound, sand filter, or treatment unit
Solar and batteries
$21,000 to $35,000
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
$39,000 to $77,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The soil stays wet, which can rule out a standard system.
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 county planning office with the parcel number.
There is no public zoning map, so we cannot tell whether the land is zoned.
Nearby counties
104,800 people live in Wicomico County, about 279.9 per square mile. It ranks tied for 21st of the 23 Maryland counties we scored, and Maryland ranks 5th of 50 states.