Can you live off-grid in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska?
86
of 100
Good with caveats
Yes, but water will be the challenge. Only about 15 inches of rain falls a year, so you will rely on a well (near 70 feet here) or hauled water. The ground is mostly flat and drains well, which keeps building simple. The growing season is only about 137 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 15 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 $5,000 to $10,000
Growing season
Short. Start seeds indoors and favor cold-hardy crops.
About 137 frost-free days, USDA zone 5a; last frost about May 14, first about October 2
Sun
Good sun. Size the array and battery bank for winter.
About 5.4 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 Low here
Storms
Strong tornadoes pass through now and then. A safe room is worth pricing.
NOAA: no hurricane-strength storm within 50 miles since 1975; about 2 strong (EF2 or stronger) tornadoes a decade within 25 miles
Terrain
Flat to gentle, easy to build on.
Slopes average about 1%, about 4,080 feet above sea level
Soil
Good ground for a standard septic system. The county's soil test decides.
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 mile (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 Scotts Bluff 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.
Drilled to about 70 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
$32,000 to $66,000
Before the house
Before you make an offer on land here
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.
Soil test
Get a soil test before you count on septic.
The county has to approve the ground before it issues a septic permit.
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
35,699 people live in Scotts Bluff County, about 48.3 per square mile. It ranks tied for 50th of the 93 Nebraska counties we scored, and Nebraska ranks 32nd of 50 states.