Can you live off-grid in St. Charles County, Missouri?
87
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, with two things to plan around. Rain is plentiful, about 43 inches a year. Flood zones are common here, so look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer. 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 43 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Typical well depth. Budget for a mid-range well.
The typical well here is about 260 feet deep; a well typically runs $11,000 to $24,000
Growing season
A full season for most vegetables.
About 204 frost-free days, USDA zone 6b; last frost about April 8, first about October 31
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 are common here. Look up any parcel on FEMA's flood map before you offer.
FEMA maps flood zones across much of the county
Wildfire
Low wildfire risk.
U.S. Forest Service wildfire hazard map: Very 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, but the ground stays wet. Build on the higher, drier spot.
Slopes average about 2%, about 450 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
Silt loam, 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 Missouri 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
St. Charles County zones land outside its towns and publishes its zoning map. Our free lookup shows the district for any address.
Building code
No statewide building code. Counties and municipalities adopt their own or none.
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 260 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 $8,000
From the nearest road to a house site
Clearing
$1,000 to $4,000
A house site, solar, and garden
Total
$38,000 to $80,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
Flood map
Look up the parcel on FEMA's flood map.
Flood zones are common 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.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The county has to approve the ground before it issues a septic permit.
Nearby counties
416,659 people live in St. Charles County, about 743.4 per square mile. It ranks tied for 93rd of the 114 Missouri counties we scored, and Missouri ranks 12th of 50 states.