Yes, with two things to plan around. Typical well depths here range from 120 feet to 350 feet, so get a local driller's quote. The growing season is only about 149 frost-free days, so plan on cold-hardy crops and a greenhouse.
What the land says
Rain
Too dry to live on rain. Plan on a well, and on irrigating anything you grow.
About 24 inches a year (PRISM, 1991 to 2020 average)
Wells
Well depth varies a lot here. Get a local driller's quote before you offer.
Typical well depths here range from 120 feet to 350 feet
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 149 frost-free days, USDA zone 5b; last frost about May 6, first about October 4
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.3 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
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
Hurricanes and strong tornadoes are rare here.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 1 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornado a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Rolling ground. Look for a flat house site.
Slopes average about 12%, about 2,660 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 1.6 miles (OpenStreetMap)
Check a Nebraska 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 Custer County, so call the county planning office with the parcel number to ask whether the land is zoned.
Building code
The state building code (the 2018 International Residential Code for homes) applies statewide except to farm buildings, but permits and inspections come only from a county, city, or village that has chosen to enforce a code.
Rainwater
Collecting it is allowed.
Composting toilets
Allowed.
Water rights
A mix of two systems. Ask the state water office before you drill a well or dam a creek.
Depends on depth, which varies here. Get a driller's quote.
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
$27,000 to $56,000
Before the house, plus the well
Before you make an offer on land here
Well depth
Get a local driller's depth estimate.
Typical well depths here range from 120 feet to 350 feet.
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.
Wildfire
Ask an insurance agent whether they will write a policy.
The U.S. Forest Service rates wildfire risk high in places.
Nearby counties
10,581 people live in Custer County, about 4.1 per square mile. It ranks tied for 65th of the 93 Nebraska counties we scored, and Nebraska ranks 32nd of 50 states.