Can you live off-grid in Roscommon County, Michigan?
86
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with two things to plan around. Wells are shallow here, near 20 feet, which keeps drilling costs down. The growing season is about 141 frost-free days and winter sun is weak, so plan on a greenhouse and a bigger battery bank or a generator. Septic will likely cost more, because the soil stays wet most of the year.
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 33 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 20 feet deep; a well typically runs $3,000 to $7,000
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 141 frost-free days, USDA zone 5b; last frost about May 14, first about October 2
Sun
Fair sun. Plan a larger array or a generator for winter.
About 4.4 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 Moderate here
Storms
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 0.8 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 1%, about 1,200 feet above sea level
Soil
Expect an engineered septic system. The ground stays wet most of the year. The county's soil test decides.
Sand, very poorly drained (USDA soil survey). An engineered system typically runs $15,000 to $25,000
Road
Paved roads are close by.
Nearest paved road usually within about 0.8 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Michigan 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
Set by the township where it has adopted its own zoning, which then replaces county zoning; elsewhere the county's zoning applies. Ask the township office which rules cover the parcel.
Building code
Michigan Residential Code (based on the International Residential Code) is the statewide minimum; no local opt-out.
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 20 feet, with pump and pressure tank
Septic
$15,000 to $25,000
Engineered 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 $78,000
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.
Zoning
Call the town or township office with the parcel's address.
Set by the township where it has adopted its own zoning, which then replaces county zoning; elsewhere the county's zoning applies. Ask the township office which rules cover the parcel.
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
23,863 people live in Roscommon County, about 45.9 per square mile. It ranks tied for 61st of the 83 Michigan counties we scored, and Michigan ranks 20th of 50 states.